The really short ones- usually under a foot tall, and barely poking through the snow last week are Lowbush Blueberry, Vaccninium angustifolium. I once told someone this scientific name, and got the response "Geshundeit!"
But also growing profusely in our area are a taller blueberry. These bushes are generally about two feet tall. I'm pretty sure these are Vaccinium pallidum (formerly V. vacillans. You can tell they are much more shrub-like than the short ones. This one has several common names: Blue Ridge blueberry, or hillside blueberry, or confusingly enough- late or early lowbush blueberry. I suppose this is because it is shorter in relation to highbush blueberry (the cultivated ones at blueberry farms), but it's clearly taller than the one in the top picture.
I learned today that there are at least 28 recognized species of blueberry! (they don't all grow in Michigan) I don't know if you can distinguish any of them by taste, but I certainly can't tell these two apart by their flavor.
Enjoy a picture from their fruting season!
In other news: I shoveled more. I actually got out of the driveway, and more to the point, back in again after I went to the bank. I participated in an on-line book promotion event this evening. (You can sign up for other readings in many genres throughout February at Pages Promotion)
 | See Dead Horse Marsh in Winter |
3 comments:
Wow on the blueberries. We had a high kind in the ancient swamp out in the country. We used ladder to gather them! Congrats on the shoveling! Keep warm!
I had no idea there were so many species of blueberry.
We've had some snow but not enough that needs shoveling.
HI Elaine- glad you figured out how to comment
Ann- actually, I didn't either. That seems like a LOT
Post a Comment