Darrow's Blueberry
A blue leaved native blueberry that fits under a window and feeds you in spring
Vaccinium darrowii
Why it works here
This is a native blueberry that stays knee high, and the foliage is the reason people fall for it before they ever taste a berry. The leaves are small and blue gray, new growth comes in pink on the 'Rosa's Blush' selection, and the whole plant reads like a little silver cloud. White to pink bell flowers show up as early as February, native bees and honeybees swarm them, and small sweet blue black berries ripen late spring into summer. They are small. FNPS says too small to matter commercially, and they are right, but standing in your own yard eating them is not commerce. It is also a piece of Florida history. This exact species is the parent that gave UF's blueberry breeders the low chill and heat tolerance that made commercial blueberries possible in Florida. Honest part: it wants acid sandy soil, and a lot of Treasure Coast yards are fill dirt and shell. If your soil is alkaline it will struggle, and no amount of love fixes that. Get the soil tested first.
Care
Acid sand, full sun, no humus, no standing water. If your pH is above 5.5 or so, this plant belongs in a raised bed of pine bark and peat or it belongs somewhere else. Water through establishment, then it is drought tolerant. Mulch with pine bark or pine needles, which also help the acidity. No lime, no alkaline compost, no lawn fertilizer nearby. It spreads by rhizomes, slowly, so give it room to make a patch. And plant at least two different clones, not two of the same cultivar, because UF's own research found it sets far more fruit with a cross pollinator than alone.
Common problems
Alkaline soil. This is the one that kills it here. Test before you buy.
Wet feet. It is a scrub plant. Standing water rots it.
Salt. Keep it well inland from spray.
No documented pest or disease problems, and it carries high resistance to blueberry leaf rust. The failures are cultural.
Sourcing. It is in the native trade but not everywhere, and the nearest growers are up around Melbourne. Order ahead.
Common questions
Will I get enough berries to matter?
Enough to graze, not enough to bake. If you want a crop, plant a southern highbush blueberry. If you want a beautiful low native that also happens to feed you and the birds, this is it.
Do I need two?
Yes, and two different ones. UF found about 21 percent fruit set when it pollinated itself versus 74 percent with a partner. One nursery sheet says it is self pollinating. I go with the university.
Why is mine yellow and sad?
Nine times out of ten it is pH. Blueberries in alkaline soil cannot take up iron and they yellow between the veins. Test the soil. If it is high, move the plant to a pine bark bed.
Interested in a darrow's blueberry in your landscape?
We plan, install, and care for it. Start with a paid consultation.