Lowbush Blueberry vs Northern Bayberry - TreeTime.ca

Lowbush Blueberry vs Northern Bayberry

Myrica pensylvanica

Vaccinium angustifolium

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Northern Bayberry
Lowbush Blueberry

Northern Bayberry makes an excellent hedge or feature shrub. It will retain its leaves in warmer climates but drops them in colder areas. They produce blue-grey berries that have a wax coating on them that can be used to make candles or soaps.

In colder hardiness zones the leaves turn an attractive orange to red colour in the fall, making it a striking addition to your landscape.

Northern Bayberry is native to Nova Scotia and tolerates both drought and wet conditions. It is also a nitrogen fixer that tolerates poor soil conditions.

Lowbush Blueberry, commonly known as the Wild Lowbush Blueberry, is often wild-harvested and thrives in low pH acidic soil. This early low-bush blueberry produces white and pink bell-shaped flowers in the spring. Its fruit is smaller in size than high bush blueberry plants and is more flavourful with an intense blueberry taste-masking it perfect for fresh eating, baking, and preserves.

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.

Northern Bayberry Quick Facts

Lowbush Blueberry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none

Toxicity: Warning: The wax from bayberry fruit is considered toxic and may be carcinogenic.

Flowers: white, pink tinged, bell shaped
Berries: blue-gray
Berries: edible blue
Harvest: July
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: yes
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Native to: MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: candlewood, myrique de pennsylvanie, small waxberry, swamp candleberry, tallow bayberry, tallow shrub, tallow tree, tallowshrub
Other Names: late lowbush blueberry, late sweet blueberry, wild lowbush blueberry