Southern Highbush Blueberries

Southern Highbush Blueberries were developed to give southern US blueberry producers the features they wanted from both the northern highbush and the rabbiteye groups of blueberries.They bloom late to avoid the frost, but still produce a very early harvest: they ripen in ripen April and May in the south. They allow Florida to produce the first blueberries of the North American season.

These blueberries command a higher price than rabbiteye berries, because they are available earlier. They are harder to grow, though, than rabbiteyes, but they are more heat tolerant than northern highbush blueberries are.

Most cultivars of the Southern Highbush type need another variety for pollination to happen, but even the few that don’t will benefit from cross-pollinization by producing larger berries.

Southern Highbush commands currently (2007) only 5% of the blueberry acreage in the southeastern US.