Oregon Grape vs Northblue Blueberry - TreeTime.ca

Oregon Grape vs Northblue Blueberry

Berberis aquifolium (Mahonia aquifolium)

Vaccinium x Northblue

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Oregon Grape
Northblue Blueberry

Oregon Grape is an evergreen shrub native to North America, found along the Pacific coast. In spring, the bright golden-yellow flowers appear in clusters above the leaves. These flowers eventually give way to edible blue berries in late summer. While not a true grape, the berries appear grape-like due to their colouring and clustered growth. They can be eaten fresh, but the sour taste and high amounts of natural pectin make them well suited for preserves.

The Oregon Grape has leaves that are glossy, leathery, and spiny-edged. This feature gives it its alternate name of Holly-leaved Barberry. When the leaves emerge in the spring they are a bronze-red colour. In the summer they transition to green, followed by bright red to deep burgundy in the fall. Leaves are retained throughout the winter and colder temperatures cause the leaves to turn purplish bronze, providing year round interest to the landscape.

Northblue Blueberry produces the best tasting of the half-high blueberries we carry. It's a cross between a highbush and a lowbush variety, which makes it suitable for smaller yards. For its size, Northblue Blueberry produces abundant quantities of large, firm berries. They are sweet and juicy.

While this variety is self-pollinating, we recommend pairing it with another suitable blueberry to increase the berry production of both varieties.

Note: Blueberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.0. If the starting pH of your soil is between 5.1 and 6.2 you can lower it by adding sulfur. We recommend against planting blueberries in soil with a starting pH greater than 6.2. Please do your own research before buying any blueberry plants.

Oregon Grape Quick Facts

Northblue Blueberry Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Light: shade, partial shade
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: bright red to deep burgundy
Fall colour: dark red
Berries: blue to purple, large
Berries: large clusters of blue berries
Fruit size: large
Firmness: firmer
Flavor: sweet/juicy
Harvest: mid summer
Flowers: yellow
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: short
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none