Top Hat Blueberry vs Cloudberry - TreeTime.ca

Top Hat Blueberry vs Cloudberry

Vaccinium x Top Hat

Rubus chamaemorus

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Top Hat Blueberry
Cloudberry

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.

Cloudberry produces berries which taste tart and tangy with a sweet, floral hint. The berries have a creamy texture when overripe. They are often used to make jams, juices, and liquors. The berries are a pale red colour and when ripe turn more orange/amber. They do not grow very tall, generally reaching only 10-25 cm.

Cloudberry has distinct male and female plants. In order to produce berries, both must be present and pollinate with each other. Berries are produced at maturity, typically 5-7 years, and produce 1 berry per stem. The plant spreads naturally as they grow using modified underground stems (rhizomes), forming more plants over time in the same area.

This plant can be found wild in Canada’s boreal forest. In Newfoundland and Labrador, this plant is known as the Bakeapple and is a significant regional food. Similarly the Côte-Nord region of Quebec also has a long history of using this berry.

Note: Cloudberries require very specific soil conditions. They need well-drained soil with a pH between 3.5 and 5.0. Also sensitive to salt and dry conditions.

Note: Our seedlings are grown from seed and are too young to identify their sex.

Top Hat Blueberry Quick Facts

Cloudberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: orange-red
Fall colour: orange, yellow
Berries: large clusters of blue berries
Berries: irregular, yellow to orange
Fruit size: medium
Firmness: firm
Flavor: good
Harvest: early to mid summer
Harvest: September to October.
Flowers: white
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: none
Suckering: none




Other Names: baked apple berry, cloud berry