Rabbiteye Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −12.2 °C
Cultivation
Requires a moist but freely-draining lime free soil, preferring one that is rich in peat or a light loamy soil with added leaf-mould. Plants are not hardy in all parts of Britain, they should succeed outdoors in the milder areas, tolerating temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. Often cultivated for its edible fruit, there are many named varieties. There is some confusion over this name with some authorities seeing it as no more than a synonym for V. virgatum. For the time being it will be kept here as a distinct species. Dislikes root disturbance, plants are best grown in pots until being planted out in their permanent positions. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
Propagation
Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse in a lime-free potting mix and only just cover the seed. Once they are about 5cm tall, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of soft wood, May/June in partial shade in media containing pine bark. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August in a frame. Slow and difficult. Layering in late summer or early autumn. Division of suckers in spring or early autumn.
Edible uses
Fruit - raw or cooked.
Habitat
Swamps and barren pine land.
Native range
South-eastern N. America.