Darrow’s Blueberry Plant

Darrow’s blueberry is a compact native evergreen shrub that brings year-round color, spring flowers, edible berries, and wildlife value to the landscape. Its small blue-green leaves may develop attractive shades of red, purple, and burgundy when grown in full sun. Plants grown in more shade usually retain greener or lighter blue foliage.

Small white-to-pink, bell-shaped flowers appear in early spring and attract native bees and other beneficial pollinators. The flowers are followed by small blue-to-purple berries that ripen in late spring. The berries are edible and tasty, although they are much smaller than the fruit produced by cultivated rabbiteye and southern highbush blueberries.

Darrow’s blueberry is especially useful as a low native hedge, border plant, foundation shrub, wildlife planting, or addition to an edible landscape. It is native to Florida and naturally occurs in acidic pine forests, flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, and sandy habitats.

Plant Details

• Plant Type: Native evergreen fruiting shrub
• Botanical Name: Vaccinium darrowii
• Common Name: Darrow’s Blueberry or Evergreen Blueberry
• Native Status: Native to Florida and the southeastern United States
• Mature Size: Generally 2–4 feet tall and approximately 2–4 feet wide
• Growth Habit: Compact, low-growing, spreading, and colony-forming
• Foliage: Evergreen blue-green foliage that may develop red, purple, or burgundy coloring in full sun
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• USDA Zones: Approximately 8A–10A
• Chill Hours: Very low-chill native species; an exact dependable chill-hour requirement is not commonly published
• Bloom Time: Early spring
• Harvest Time: Late spring into early summer, depending on weather and location
• Flower Color: White to pale pink
• Berry Size: Small; considerably smaller than cultivated blueberries
• Berry Color: Blue, purple, or nearly black when ripe
• Flavor: Sweet to mildly tart
• Edible Fruit: Berries may be eaten fresh or used in baked goods, preserves, and other recipes
• Pollination: One plant may produce some fruit, but cross-pollination with a genetically different Darrow’s blueberry can greatly improve fruit set
• Soil: Acidic, sandy, organic, and well-drained
• Preferred Soil pH: Approximately 4.0–5.5
• Water: Water regularly while establishing; relatively drought-tolerant once established in suitable soil
• Spacing: Approximately 3–4 feet apart for individual shrubs or closer for a low hedge
• Salt Tolerance: Low; avoid salty soil and direct salt spray
• Landscape Uses: Native gardens, edible landscapes, low hedges, borders, mass plantings, wildlife gardens, and pollinator gardens
• ATTRACTS POLLINATORS: Flowers attract native bees and other beneficial pollinators
• WILDLIFE VALUE: Birds and small mammals feed on the berries

Darrow’s blueberry usually remains much smaller than cultivated rabbiteye blueberries. It can slowly spread through underground rhizomes and may form a wider natural colony over time.

Best Pollinator Partners

Darrow’s blueberry can set some fruit when planted alone, but research has found that fruit set is much higher following cross-pollination.

For the best fruit production, plant:

• A second genetically different Darrow’s blueberry
• Two or more Darrow’s blueberry seedlings from different parent plants
• Different Darrow’s blueberry selections that flower at the same time

Two plants propagated from cuttings of the same mother plant are genetically identical and may not provide the same cross-pollination benefit as unrelated plants.

I would not promise Austin, Alapaha, Brightwell, Farthing, Emerald, or other cultivated blueberries as dependable pollinators for Darrow’s blueberry. Darrow’s blueberry is a native diploid species, while many cultivated blueberries have different genetic backgrounds and chromosome levels. A genetically different Darrow’s blueberry is the safest recommendation.

Studies found that Darrow’s blueberry produced some berries following self-pollination, but cross-pollination between different plants increased fruit set substantially.

North Florida Growing Note

Darrow’s blueberry is naturally suited to the Florida Panhandle and is a particularly good native choice for North Florida landscapes. It tolerates heat and humidity and performs well in acidic, sandy soil similar to the conditions found beneath pines.

Plant it in full sun for the strongest red and purple foliage coloring and the best flowering and fruit production. Plants grown in partial shade usually have greener foliage and may produce fewer berries.

Although it tolerates drier conditions once established, Darrow’s blueberry still needs regular watering during its first growing season. Avoid planting it where water remains around the roots. Blueberries need acidic soil with excellent drainage and can develop yellow foliage and weak growth when the soil pH is too high.

Pine bark, pine fines, and peat moss can be used to increase organic matter and help create the acidic conditions blueberries prefer. Do not add lime around the plant because lime raises the soil pH.

Important Fruit Note

Darrow’s blueberry is best sold as a beautiful native landscape and wildlife plant that also produces edible fruit. Customers expecting large berries similar to commercial blueberry varieties should choose a cultivated rabbiteye or southern highbush blueberry instead.

The small berries are enjoyable for fresh eating, but birds and other wildlife may harvest them before people do.

Local Pickup and Shipping

Available for local pickup at Advanced Nursery Growers in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Limited shipping may be available for select smaller plants. Please contact us before placing an order that will require shipping so we can confirm availability, plant size, and shipping cost.

Wholesale Availability

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

Advanced Nursery Growers
1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Call: 850-391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com