Blue Crop Blueberry vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Blue Crop Blueberry vs Bilberry

Vaccinium myrtillus

Vaccinium corymbosum Blue Crop

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Bilberry
Blue Crop Blueberry

Bilberry is a native perennial shrub valued for its small, blue-black berries that ripen in mid to late summer. The berries resemble blueberries but have a richer, more tart, and intense flavor. They have long been used for fresh eating, baking, and preserves, while also providing food for birds and mammals. In spring, its delicate pinkish flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

Growing low to the ground, Bilberry forms spreading colonies that create dense understory cover. This growth habit provides food and shelter for wildlife, and its foliage adds seasonal interest by turning red to purple in autumn. With its adaptability and ecological benefits, Bilberry is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and pollinator gardens.

Blue Crop Blueberry is a high yielding, commercial highbush blueberry variety that is widely planted. If you're lucky enough to live in a suitable climate zone, Blue Crop Blueberry is a great choice. Its very large berries taste amazing. They are very firm and store well.

While this variety is self-pollinating, we recommend pairing Blue Crop Blueberry with another Blueberry to increase the berry production of both varieties.

You must prune Blue Crop Blueberry to maintain its health and productivity.

Note: Blueberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.0.

Bilberry Quick Facts

Blue Crop Blueberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses

Fall colour: orange-red
Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: summer
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Berries: big clusters of large, light blue berries
Fruit size: very large
Firmness: very firm
Flavor: sweet
Flavor: slightly tart, excellent
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Harvest: mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry