Vaccinium darrowii
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Vaccinium darrowii, with the common names Darrow's blueberry, evergreen blueberry, scrub blueberry, is a species of Vaccinium in the blueberry group (Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus).
Description
Vaccinium darrowii is an evergreen shrub growing to Template:Convert tall, with small, simple ovoid-acute leaves Template:Convert long and in non-hybrid forms are a light blue-green color on the base of the plant and a light pink color at the tips of the branches.
The flowers are white, bell-shaped, 4–8 mm long. The fruit is a berry Template:Convert diameter, blue-black with a whitish waxy bloom.[1] Cytology is 2n = 24.[2][3]
Distribution and habitat
Vaccinium darrowii is native to the Southeastern United States, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The primary habitat for the species is pine forests, where it prefers full sun and the slightly acidic soils common in such habitat.[4]
Cultivation
Vaccinium darrowii is grown both for its edible berries, and for horticultural uses as an ornamental plant in home gardens, native plant and wildlife gardens, and natural landscaping projects.[5]
Hybrid cultivars
Many commercial Southern Highbush Blueberry cultivars are hybrids, derived from crosses between Vaccinium darrowii with the Northern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), as well as other species such as Rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum) and Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium).[6]
Southern Highbush Cultivars, in addition to lower chilling requirements, also have greater tolerance to high summer temperatures, somewhat greater drought tolerance and develop superior fruit quality under Southern U.S. growing conditions. As a rule, Southern highbush blueberries are self-fertile. However, larger and earlier-ripening berries result if several cultivars are interplanted for cross-pollination.
The following Southern Highbush Blueberry cultivars, listed by fruit ripening time, are recommended for the fruit garden and landscape:
- Very early season: 'O'Neal'
- Early/midseason: 'Cape Fear'
- Midseason: 'Blue Ridge' and 'Georgia Gem' (adapted to the Sandhills and Coastal Plains; needs frost protection in the Piedmont)
- Mid/late season: 'Legacy' and 'Summit'
- Late season: 'Ozarkblue' (Piedmont only)
See also
References
External links
Template:Blueberries Template:Taxonbar
- ↑ Flora of North America, Vaccinium darrowii Camp, 1942. Darrow’s evergreen blueberry
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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- ↑ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
- ↑ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network−NPIN: Vaccinium darrowii (Darrow's blueberry, Evergreen blueberry)
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
