Vaccinium formosum
| Vaccinium formosum | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Vaccinium |
| Species: | V. formosum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Vaccinium formosum Andrews
| |
Vaccinium formosum, with common names highbush blueberry, southern blueberry, southern highbush blueberry, and swamp highbush blueberry, is a species of blueberry that is native to the Southeastern United States.
Description
[edit]Vaccinium formosum is a deciduous shrub that grows to approximately 3.96-4.57 m (13–15 ft) tall.[1][2] The plant has ovaloid green leaves that are about 2.5-7.6 cm (1–3 in) in length.[2]
The flowers of the Vaccinium formosum bloom whitish-pink in a bell shape, and the fruit is a dark blue with a "glaucous bloom".[2] The plant has green stems that turn into woody growth as the stems age.[2]
Vaccinium formosum berries are edible in both raw and cooked forms.
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Vaccinium formosum is native to the Southeastern United States. It has been found in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, and New York.[3][4] It grows in a variety of habitats including bogs, pine barrens, mires, ravines and mountain summits.[4]
Cultivation
[edit]The plant's primary habitats are in marshes, wetlands, and loamy/sandy soils.[5] It prefers low pH, acidic soils and will not fruit or grow well in basic conditions. The ideal conditions for this plant are in full sun; it can handle partial-sun though it may fruit less.[2] The harvest season of the edible fruit of the Vaccinium formosum is primarily late spring/summer.[2]
Further reading
[edit]Wiersema, J. H., León, B. (1999). World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. United States: CRC-Press. ISBN 9780849321191, 0849321190
Hancock, J. F., Retamales, J. B. (2018). Blueberries. United Kingdom: CABI. ISBN 9781780647265, 1780647263
References
[edit]- ^ "Vaccinium formosum Swamp Highbush Blueberry, Southern blueberry PFAF Plant Database". pfaf.org. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- ^ a b c d e f "Vaccinium formosum (Highbush Blueberry, Southern Blueberry, Southern Highbush Blueberry, Swamp Highbush Blueberry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox". plants.ces.ncsu.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- ^ "SEINet Portal Network - Vaccinium formosum". swbiodiversity.org. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- ^ a b "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
- ^ "Southern Blueberry - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
