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Home Full-Sun Plants for North Florida Austin Blueberry Plant

  • Local Pickup Available at Advanced Nursery Growers | Limited Shipping Available on Select Plants — Contact Us Before Ordering

Austin rabbiteye blueberry plant for sale at a North Florida nursery in DeFuniak Springs

Austin Blueberry Plant

Advanced Nursery Growers

$22.00

1 item left

The Austin Blueberry is a productive Rabbiteye blueberry developed for the warm, humid growing conditions of the Southeast. It produces attractive, medium-to-large blue berries with good flavor, a dry picking scar, and good keeping quality.

Austin has a moderately vigorous, upright growth habit and produces dependable renewal canes as it matures. Its early-season berries are excellent for fresh eating, baking, freezing, jams, and preserves.

Austin is a good choice for home orchards, edible landscapes, berry hedges, small farms, and U-pick plantings in North Florida and along the Gulf Coast.

PLANT DETAILS

  • Botanical Name: Vaccinium virgatum ‘Austin’
  • Common Name: Austin Blueberry
  • Blueberry Type: Rabbiteye
  • Growth Habit: Upright, moderately vigorous, and productive
  • Mature Height: Approximately 6 to 10 feet
  • Mature Width: Approximately 5 to 8 feet
  • Sun Requirements: Full sun, preferably 6 or more hours daily
  • USDA Hardiness Zones: Generally Zones 7 through 9
  • Chill Requirement: Approximately 450 to 500 chill hours
  • Bloom Time: Early spring
  • Harvest Season: Early Rabbiteye season, generally beginning in late May or June depending on location and weather
  • Berry Size: Medium to large
  • Berry Color: Attractive blue
  • Berry Flavor: Good blueberry flavor when fully ripe
  • Berry Texture: Firm, although slightly softer than some Rabbiteye varieties
  • Picking Scar: Small and dry
  • Soil Requirements: Acidic, well-drained soil rich in organic matter
  • Preferred Soil pH: Approximately 4.5 to 5.5
  • Water Needs: Consistent moisture with good drainage
  • Recommended Spacing: Approximately 5 to 6 feet apart
  • Landscape Uses: Home orchards, edible landscapes, berry hedges, wildlife gardens, and U-pick plantings
  • Attracts Pollinators: Spring flowers attract bees and other beneficial pollinating insects

POLLINATION REQUIREMENTS

Austin is not considered reliably self-pollinating. It should be planted with at least one different Rabbiteye blueberry that blooms at approximately the same time.

Planting compatible varieties nearby improves fruit set, berry size, and overall production. A Southern highbush blueberry should not be used as Austin’s only pollinator.

BEST POLLINATOR PARTNERS

Recommended pollinating partners from our blueberry selection include:

  • Premier Blueberry
  • Alapaha Blueberry
  • Brightwell Blueberry
  • Climax Blueberry

Premier, Alapaha, and Brightwell are especially good companion varieties because their flowering periods overlap well with Austin. Climax can also provide useful bloom overlap.

Plant the different varieties within approximately 20 to 50 feet of one another so bees can easily move between the flowers. Two or more different Rabbiteye varieties will usually provide a more dependable harvest than planting Austin alone.

NORTH FLORIDA GROWING NOTE

Austin is well suited to North Florida and the surrounding Gulf Coast where it receives approximately 450 to 500 winter chill hours.

Plant Austin in full sun and acidic, well-drained soil. Avoid low areas where water remains around the roots or cold air collects. Raised beds may be helpful where the native soil drains poorly.

Blueberries have shallow, fibrous roots that can dry out quickly. Apply pine bark, pine straw, or another acidic organic mulch around the plant to conserve moisture, reduce weeds, and protect the roots from summer heat.

Keep the soil consistently moist while the plant is becoming established and while berries are developing. Do not allow the roots to remain in standing water.

Austin is an older, dependable variety with good fruit quality. Its seeds may be slightly more noticeable than those of some newer Rabbiteye varieties, especially when pollination and seed development are very strong.

LOCAL PICKUP AND LIMITED SHIPPING

Most plants and trees are available for local pickup at our nursery in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Limited shipping may be available for select smaller plants. Please contact us before placing an order that requires shipping. Shipping charges are calculated separately.

WHOLESALE AVAILABILITY

Wholesale pricing may be available for qualifying orders. Please contact us for current plant sizes, available quantities, and wholesale pricing.

ADVANCED NURSERY GROWERS

1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435

Phone: (850) 391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com

Collections: Berry Plants for North Florida | Blueberries, Blackberries & Edible Berry Plants, Blueberry Plants – All Varieties, Blueberry Plants – Rabbiteye Varieties, Edible Landscape Plants, Fruit Trees for Sale | Premium Fruit Trees, Full-Sun Plants for North Florida, Wildlife Planting & Habitat Trees

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