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Oregon Grape vs Top Hat Blueberry
Berberis aquifolium (Mahonia aquifolium)
Vaccinium x Top Hat
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
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.
Top Hat Blueberry is ideal for decks, patios, and small yards. This compact blueberry produces loads of good tasting berries early in the summer. This variety's berries are well suited for baking.
While Top Hat Blueberry is self-pollinating, we recommend pairing it with another suitable blueberry to increase the berry production of both varieties.
We recommend planting Top Hat Blueberry into the ground or into planters that have at least 5 gallons of soil per plant for the best results. Do not plant them into pots (voids your guarantee).
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.