Patriot Highbush Blueberry is a fruit-producing deciduous shrub with dark green foliage that turns shades or red and purple in fall. Clusters of pinkish white flowers bloom in late spring before giving way to the large yield of sweet medium blue blueberries that ripen in midsummer. Grows best with full sun and rich, moist acidic well-drained soils. Patriot has a high recommended chill requirement of 800-1,000 hours.
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Type:
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Shrub
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Origins:
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East N. America; GA Native
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Height:
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5' - 8'
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Spread:
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5’ - 8'
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Spacing:
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7'
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USDA Hardiness Zone:
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5 - 8
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Culture:
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Full Sun, Part Sun
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Bloom Color:
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White
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Season of Interest:
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Spring, Summer, Fall
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MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Medium Maintenance. Water regularly and mulch. Prune as needed in late winter. Chlorosis may occur in high PH soils. Blight, rot, anthracnose, canker, and mildew are occasional problems. Blueberry maggot, fruit worms, and spotted wing drosophila can damage the fruit. Mummy berry is a fungal disease that shrivels and dries the fruit- remove affected fruit immediately if spotted.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Naturalized Areas, Woodland Gardens, Rock Gardens, Hedges, Foundation Plantings, Edible Gardens, and Containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Thyme, Strawberry, Raspberry
IMAGE: Rob Duval, Blueberry-patriot-ripe-2012, CC BY-SA 3.0
