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Throughout the year, our chapters sponsor lectures and presentations with featured speakers on topics ranging from introductions to native plants, gardening with natives, identification and appreciation of the beautiful flora and ecosystems of New Jersey, ecological landscaping, and much more.
Are you interested in starting your own local chapter? Chapter leadership is a great way to express your passion for plants and the environment, get involved with a vibrant community of people with shared interests, or just have fun. Contact John Black- email:president@npsnj.org to find out more.
Highbush blueberry is a native, upright, 6-12 feet tall, crown-forming shrub. The common name refers to the relatively tall stature of these plants. Twigs are yellow-green (reddish in winter) and covered with small wart-like dots. Leaves are deciduous, alternate, simple, elliptic or ovate, 1 to 31?2 inches long and slightly waxy above with pubescence (hairs) at least on the veins beneath. The white or pink-tinged flowers are small and urn-shaped with 5 petals, and occur 8 to 10 per cluster. Flowering occurs February to June, sporadically in the southern portion of its range; fruiting occurs April to October, about 62 days after flowering. Fruits are 1?4 - 1?2” blue-black berries with many seeds.
Highbush blueberry in nature is found primarily in shady areas with wet acidic soils. This 4’-10’ tall shrub is adaptable in the landscape and while it still needs acid soil, it can tolerate drier, sunnier locations. Highbush blueberry is truly a plant for all seasons as it is loaded with small white flowers in the spring, delicious blue berries in the summer, crimson red fall foliage and bright red or blond stems in the winter. It can be somewhat tricky to grow, so make sure your soil is very acid and loaded with organic matter.
Highbush blueberry, a native North American shrub cultivated throughout the country, is the major blueberry- producing species in commerce. More than 50 cultivars have been developed, primarily for commercially valuable fruit characteristics and seasonality.
A few selections are used in landscaping, especially as plantings in wet areas or to attract wildlife.
Highbush blueberries are eaten raw, smoke-dried, sun-dried, boiled, and baked in a wide variety of culinary settings. They have one of the highest concentrations of iron of the temperate fruits.
Blueberries provide important summer and early fall food for numerous species of game birds, songbirds, and mammals.