Darrow’s Blueberry

Vaccinium darrowii

Available Size: 3g 

Max Size: 3′ tall x spreading clonally up to 50′ wide
Average size: 2′ tall x 2′ wide

Sand, Clay
Full Sun, Part Shade
Usually Moist, Moist to Dry
No salt tolerance

AKA: Darrow’s Dwarf Blueberry, John Blue Blueberry

This blueberry is known for its showy evergreen foliage with it’s pink-tipped new growth. It takes well to being pruned and can be made into a hedge if you want to control its clonal spreading. Pruning for the sake of blueberry production should be completed shortly after flowering, as the flowers bloom on old wood. It blooms in early spring with pink or white flowers in clumps before putting off its edible berries in late spring. Berries are blue or purple but can sometimes be black.

The berries attract birds and small mammals, and the flowers attract many pollinators including native bee species. The documented bee species include Agapostemon splendens, Augochlorella aurata, A. gratiosa, and Apis mellifera.

Additional sources: Florida Plant Atlas, FNPS, Florida Wildflower Foundation