Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Ericales>Ericaceae>Vaccinium fuscatum Ait.

Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum) fruit

Probably our most common large blueberry, formerly known as Vaccinium atrococcum. The small, black berries are not as large or as sweet as those of the Southern Highbush Blueberry (V. formosum), which are the ones used in commerce.

Orange Co., NC 6/6/03.

Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum) flowers

The urceolate (urn-shaped) flowers appear in early spring before the leaves.

Moore Co., NC 3/14/07.

Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum)

Orange Co., NC 4/6/05.

Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum) leaves/twig

The twigs are puberulent (covered with small downy hairs).

Blueberries can be tough to identify. The taxonomy is unclear and hybrids are relatively common. One hybrid that's been found in Durham County is V. ×marianum, which is thought to be a cross between formosum, fuscatum, and possibly pallidum.

Moore Co., NC 6/6/03.

Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum) bark

Bark detail.

Moore Co., NC 3/14/07.

back

Revised 6/1/08 cwcook@duke.edu

All photographs and text ©2008 by Will Cook unless otherwise noted.