Vaccinium crassifolium, the creeping blueberry, is a species of Vaccinium in the heath family. It is native to the four southeastern U.S. states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. It is an evergreen shrub with shiny dark green to bronze leaves.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Vaccinium crassifolium, the creeping blueberry, is a species of Vaccinium in the heath family. It is native to the four southeastern U.S. states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. It is an evergreen shrub with shiny dark green to bronze leaves.
Vaccinium crassifolium is the only species in the Vaccinium sect. Herpothamnus. Some sources have recognized a second species, V. sempervirens, but recent authors combine the two into a single species.
Creeping blueberries, although they are native to North America, do not seem to be most closely related to North American blueberries, but instead to South American Vaccinium species.
II. How to Grow and Care
Creeping blueberry is a resilient groundcover plant that thrives in acidic, well-draining soil and consistent moisture without waterlogging. Special care points include its preference for partial shade, which is essential to protect it from intense sunlight. Pruning is minimal, generally only needed to maintain shape or manage spreading. Overall, creeping blueberry is easy to care for, with low maintenance requirements.
Sunlight
The creeping blueberry is a full sun plant. Insufficient sunlight affects its flowering and fruiting. When selecting a growing location, try to avoid placing your plants near large trees. The tree crown coverage not only affects light, but also reduces air circulation, making diseases much more likely.
Temperature
The creeping blueberry has many cultivated species that have a wide adaptability to different temperatures. However, cold temperatures (T < 7 ℃) during dormancy are vital to helping them bloom the following year. The Lowbush Blueberry and the Northern High Blueberry usually need more than 800 to 1000 chill hours in an environment below 7 ℃. The Rabbiteye creeping blueberry from the south also needs around 350 to 700 hours. It is important to pay attention to cold resistance and chill hours when selecting varieties.
The creeping blueberry has a fibrous root system with shallow root distribution. Like other Ericaceae species, its roots with symbiotic fungi absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Therefore, the creeping blueberry is neither drought-resistant nor flood-resistant, and requires careful adjustment of soil moisture.
Watering
Creeping blueberry is a plant that thrives in environments with moderate humidity. It has adapted to withstand periods of low water availability, exhibiting relative balance in its water needs. This plant requires watering once every 1-2 weeks, reflecting its drought tolerance. Typically grown outdoors, creeping blueberry flourishes during the rainy season, utilizing the natural precipitation to supplement its water intake.
Soil
Because the wild blueberries mostly grows on the edges of forests, they are accustomed to the acidic soil formed by dead branches and fallen leaves.Loose, acid soil (pH 3.8-5.5) with a good drainage performance and plenty of humus is best, with the optimum pH value being 4.5. Sandy soil and sandy loam are also preferred.
Soil acidity can be adjusted to cater to the creeping blueberry. If the pH of your soil is between 5.5 and 7.0, sphagnum peat can be applied at a 10 to 15 cm thickness into the 0 to 150 mm top-layer of soil, before being fully mixed in. Sphagnum peat not only improves soil acidity, but also significantly increases the content of humus. If the pH of your soil is higher than 7.0, a raised ridge bed can be built and filled with soil that has the correct acidity. Back-filling soil should be 20 to 30 cm higher than the ground plane, and all roots must be covered in the soil layer below 0 to 150 mm.
Fertilizing
For creeping blueberry, use balanced fertilizers (e.g., 10-10-10) in spring and early summer to bolster growth, and switch to high-nitrogen feeds pre-dormancy to fortify health. Fertilize monthly at half-recommended rates to enhance flowering and fruit yield, while avoiding over-fertilization to prevent root burn. Seasonal adjustments align with vegetative and fruiting cycles. Apply granular types evenly around the base, avoiding direct stem contact. Dilute liquid fertilizers as per label guidelines for safe, effective nourishment.
Planting Instructions
Planting requirements for the creeping blueberry differ between varieties. Ideally, use bag seedlings that are two to three years old when planting a creeping blueberry, with the diameter of the base of the main stem being more than 5 mm.
If garden centers provide bare-root seedlings, these can be stored in a damp and dark environment before planting to keep them in dormancy. The criterion of “dampness” is that the roots must be kept moist, but not fully saturated. Ideal planting time is usually late winter or early spring, before the plant starts sprouting new buds. Soak the roots of bare-root seedlings in water for 3 or 4 hours before planting.
Two or more plants of different species, with the same fluorescence, can be planted at the same time. Pollination between different plants can increase the fruit setting rate, as well as the single fruit weight. For species with a larger plant shape, the spacing should be appropriately increased.
If you are planting creeping blueberry into a pot, place this in a shaded and well-ventilated room for a week, before moving it outdoors and resuming with normal care. If on sloping land, avoid planting in locations where cold air stagnates, so that the plant is protected from frost during flowering. Adequate irrigation should also be carried out after planting. Maintain an organic mulch at a thickness of 5 to 10 cm throughout the year after planting.
A mulch such as broken wood sawdust, peat, pine needles and fallen leaves can help maintain soil acidity. As acidic organic matter degrades every year, the pH value of your soil needs annual monitoring, with adjustments as needed. Once the pH value of the soil is higher than 5.5, the creeping blueberry roots cannot absorb iron, meaning that the edges of leaves will lose their green color and turn red. Growth will be stunted, and the plant could even die.
An acid peat soil mixture, while useful, takes effect slowly. If there are signs of an iron deficiency during the growing season, a chelated iron foliar fertilizer can be sprayed and a sulfur powder can be used to adjust the pH value of the soil.
Pruning
Pruning of young plants: After planting, for the first two or three years, the flower buds should be completely removed in the spring. This will promote growth, improve lifespan and boost future fruit yield. Pinch off any spindly shoots during the growing season to increase the number of sprouting lateral branches, so as to expand the tree crown.
Fruiting plant pruning: From the third year after planting, the creeping blueberry should be pruned each year, before the sprouting of new buds in early spring. The annual branch bears fruits, and the stronger the branch is, the more fruits it bears. For mature plants, each cluster should retain 4 to 6 stems and 1 or 2 new branches each year, keeping the tree uniform and well-ventilated.
Because of the plant’s slow growth, pruning should be conservative. Excessive pruning will greatly affect the amount of fruits produced. Creeping blueberry has both creeping and erect branches, and the erect should be retained as much as possible when pruning.
Propagation
Creeping blueberry is a low-growing, ground-cover evergreen with delicate flowers and edible fruit. To propagate creeping blueberry, semi-hardwood cuttings are most viable. Stem cuttings should be taken from healthy, disease-free plants, preferably from new growth that has partially matured. Cut a segment about 4-6 inches long, remove lower leaves, and dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder for best results. Plant the cutting in well-draining soil and maintain consistent moisture without waterlogging.
Adequate humidity and warmth are crucial factors in encouraging rooting. Root development typically takes a few weeks, after which the young creeping blueberry can be gradually acclimatized to less controlled conditions.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Ornamental uses
Vaccinium crassifolium has been cultivated since at least about 1787, and several cultivars are available for planting as a ground cover in landscaping gardens.
- Medicinal uses
The leaves resemble bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and may be used in herbalism in its place.
IV. Harvesting and Storage
The creeping blueberry fruiting period can last for several weeks. Fruit ripens when its surface turns bluish black. Due to inconsistent ripening of fruits, they should be harvested in batches. Harvest once every 2 or 3 days in full fruit period, and once every 3 or 4 days in both the initial and final fruit period, completing your harvest before the frost.
Gloves (finger sleeves) should be worn when picking fruits to avoid damaging them, which would affect their appearance and storage potential. When picking ripe fruits, gently hold the berries and tweak them clockwise to keep the peel intact. This will also help to prolong their storage period.