20 best varieties of garden blueberries with photos, descriptions and reviews for the Moscow region and southern regions

Often garden plants with tasty and healthy fruits become decorations for garden plots. These crops include blueberries, the berries of which are tasty and healthy, and the plant itself is decorative at any time of the year.A description of the best varieties of garden blueberries with photos, supported by reviews, will help you choose suitable specimens of the crop for your garden plot.

A very informative video review of garden blueberry varieties; if you are choosing blueberries for planting in your dacha, be sure to watch it:

Content:

Garden blueberry varieties for northern regions
Blueberry varieties for growing in the southern regions

Garden blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is a species of deciduous plants from the Ericaceae family, an American relative of the common blueberry. Varietal blueberries are no longer uncommon in the gardens of the Middle Zone or in the southern regions of Russia. When choosing varieties for a particular site, a number of criteria should be taken into account:

Diameter and weight of the fruit. The average berry weighs about 2 g, with a diameter of 20 mm, and the largest can weigh up to 5 g and be 30 mm in diameter.
Ripening time:
> early varieties - harvesting begins in mid-July;
> mid-late varieties - the harvest ripens in late July - early August;
> late varieties - the growing season lasts until mid-September, and the harvest is ready for harvest from the second half of August.
The height of bushes of different varieties can be from 0.9 m to 2 m.
How the berries ripen together. If the harvest can be harvested over 2 weeks, then this is called “friendly” harvesting, and if it takes 5-7 weeks, it is called “extended”.

Such advantages of the best varieties of garden blueberries, such as: high yield, frost resistance, unpretentiousness, usefulness, versatility of use, resistance to diseases and pests, decorativeness, cannot leave our gardeners indifferent.

Blueberry varieties for the middle zone and Moscow region

When buying seedlings, you need to remember that in central Russia only blueberries of early and medium ripening periods have time to ripen during the growing season. Another criterion when selecting a variety is winter hardiness.

Patriot

Vigorous, highly branched vertical bush. One of the best frost-resistant varieties.

Patriot blueberries are suitable for manual and mechanized berry picking. Little susceptible to disease.

The height of the bush is 1.2 m - 1.8 m.
Early fruiting - mid-July. The fruits appear 3 years after planting.
The berries are large - 1.7-1.9 g, diameter 1.5 - 1.9 cm, high taste. The pulp is juicy and dense. The berries are light blue, with a uniform waxy coating, slightly flattened, in elastic clusters.
Productivity 4.5-7 kg per bush. Fruiting is regular.
Prefers sunny places, protected from gusty winds.
Frost resistance -40 °C (climatic zone 3). Successful is grown in the Moscow region and Khabarovsk.

Valery, 50 years old, Yaroslavl region.
My Patriot is a weakling, up to a meter high and not spreading. Previously I wanted to increase the number of bushes to 10, but now I think it’s good that I stopped at five. The harvest is often such that there is literally nowhere to put it, except for sale.

Duke

The crown of the bush is wide, the shoots grow moderately. Ripening is fast and friendly.

About 45 days pass between flowering and berry picking. Involves manual picking of berries. The fruits are well stored and tolerate transportation well.

The height of the bush is 1.2 m - 1.8 m.
An early variety of blueberries, berry picking begins in the first half of July.
The weight of the berries is 2.5 g, diameter is 1.7 - 2.0 cm. The berries are light blue, with a medium waxy coating, dense. Fruits with a pleasant sweet and sour taste.
Productivity is regular, 6-8 kg per bush.
Prefers to grow in bright areas with moderate humidity.
Frost resistance -34 °C (climatic zone 4). May be damaged in winters with little snow. Duke is suitable for the Middle Zone and Moscow region.

Akim Romanov, 47 years old
I have three varieties bought three years ago: Duke, Bluecrop and Patriot. This year only the duke bear fruit, and not like in the previous photo. The entire bush, about 80 cm, was literally showered with large fruits. The taste is sweet and sour, the taste is much superior to blueberries. But bluecrop lags significantly behind in growth. It grows in a sunny place, there was no care, just mulched with a needle case.

Northland

The bush is medium-sized, spreading. Northland is characterized by stable fruiting and excellent yield. The berries are stored for a long time and are suitable for processing.

The size of the bush is no more than 1-1.2 m.
An early ripening variety of garden blueberries, the berries begin to ripen in mid-July.
The weight of the berries is 2 g, diameter is 1.6 - 1.8 cm. The berries are medium, the pulp is dense, sweet.
Productivity 4.5 - 8 kg per bush. The bush begins to bear fruit 3 years after planting.
Flowers are not afraid of short-term frosts. It quickly grows shoots and requires frequent pruning. High resistance to diseases.
Frost resistance is high - -40°C (climatic zone 3). In the conditions of the Middle Zone, the timing of berry ripening shifts and the variety becomes mid-ripening. Can be grown in northern regions.

Andrey, 48 years old, Nizhny Novgorod region.
The height of this variety is about 1.5 m. It forms many shoots, ball-shaped, bears fruit abundantly, berries are in clusters, like grapes.

River

This is one of the best commercial blueberry varieties.The average size of the fruit is compensated by abundant fruiting.

To obtain increased yields, regular pruning is used. After picking, the berries are stored for 7 - 10 days and are characterized by good transportability. The variety is often recommended to beginners as the most unpretentious.

The height of the bush is 1.7-2 m.
An early ripening variety, ripening occurs in mid-late July.
The weight of the berries is 1.5 - 1.8 g, diameter 1.5 - 2 cm. The berries are blue, with a light waxy coating and a pleasant aroma. Taste with blueberry aftertaste. In clusters of 8 - 10 pieces. Ripe berries do not fall off.
Productivity 4 - 5 kg per bush. The first fruiting is possible at 3-4 years.
The variety is unpretentious to soils and growing conditions, resistant to return frosts and diseases.
Frost resistance -34 °C (climatic zone 4). Reka's winter hardiness is sufficient for growing in the central zone and the Moscow region.

Mikhail, 58 years old, Volokolamsk
Overall, I like the variety so far. Despite all my inept agricultural techniques, last year the bush produced 4 new shoots of 1.5 meters each. He reacted normally to the heat. Overwintered without freezing. The bush is 4 years old and 2 years old in my hands. It's blooming quite profusely now. I think it’s a good variety for a beginner, so last fall I planted 2 more bushes.

Earliblue

The bush is medium-sized, vertical. Easy to reproduce. It produces few new shoots and does not require frequent thinning.

Not suitable for long-term storage and long-distance transportation. For stable fruiting, pruning is used and the necessary soil acidity is maintained.

The height of the bush is 1.3 m - 1.7 m.
An early variety of blueberries, berry picking begins in the first half of July.
The weight of the berries is 1.2 - 1.6 g, size 1.4-1.8 cm.The fruits are blue in color with dense pulp and have a sweet taste.
Productivity 4 - 7 kg per bush.
Plants prefer air- and moisture-permeable soils, bright areas, and are tolerant of drought. The variety is resistant to diseases.
Frost resistance -37 °C (climatic zone 3). For cultivation in the central zone and Moscow region.

Galina, 53 years old, Lyubinsky
Growing blueberries in the Omsk region is no more difficult than other berries. Erliblue has been growing on the site for about 10 years, during which time they have discovered the main advantages of the variety - speed of ripening, taste of the fruit, high frost resistance. The only downside is the need to acidify the soil - you have to carry out this procedure several times a season.

Bluegold

Blugold

A tall, highly branching variety that requires periodic thinning. It is highly decorative, therefore it is often used by gardeners in landscape design.

Bluegold blueberries are described as suitable for manual and mechanized harvesting. When overripe, the berries fall off, so the harvest must be harvested on time.

The height of the bush is 1.2-1.5 m.
Early ripening, fruiting occurs in mid-July.
Fruit weight 2.1 g, diameter 16-18 mm. The berries are blue, the flesh is dense, aromatic. The taste is pleasant, blueberry.
Productivity 4.5-7 kg per bush. Berries appear on the bushes after 3 years.
Resistance to fungal diseases is excellent.
Frost resistance -35°C (climatic zone 4). Suitable for growing in areas of the Central Russian region. In the Moscow region it winters without shelter.

Evgeniya, 27 years old, Mytishchi
Several years ago I bought 3 seedlings in
nursery. First, I studied reviews and descriptions about the Blugold blueberry variety.For planting, I chose a place in partial shade and added a little peat, sand and spruce litter. While the bushes are small, I harvest them every year. The taste is wonderful, sweet and sour. The berries grew as in the photo.

Bluecrop

Tall, hardy, unpretentious variety. The fruits are stored for a long time and do not tolerate transportation well over long distances.

The height of the bush is 1.6-1.9 m.
Mid-season blueberry variety. The berries begin to bear fruit in late July - early August.
Weight 1.8 g, diameter 17-20 mm. The berries are blue, sweet and sour, and ripen gradually.
Productivity 6 - 9 kg per bush. Fruiting begins 3 years after planting.
Prefers podzolic areas with high soil acidity.
Frost resistance -30-32° C (climatic zone 4). Growing in Siberia, Central Russia. In winters with little snow, shelter is required.

Review of the Bluecrop variety: Yulia Stanislavovna, 52 years old, Troitsk
There are 4 different varieties of blueberries growing on my plot, and I consider Bluecrop to be one of the best. The crop is completely unpretentious, tolerates frost well, and produces a rich harvest. Moreover, the bush fit perfectly into the overall style of the garden and gave it some charm. For me, planting and caring for Bluecrop blueberries in the Moscow region is not difficult. It is important to monitor the watering schedule and trim the bushes on time.

North Blue

It stands out among other varieties for its short stature and winter hardiness. Widely used as an ornamental plant.

Plant height 0.6 m - 0.9 m.
Mid-late variety. The berries are ready for picking in late July - early August.
Fruit weight is 2.2-2.6 g, diameter 1.3 - 1.7 cm. The berries are dark blue, dense, with an excellent blueberry taste, collected in small clusters.They have good keeping quality and are not damaged during transportation.
The yield is stable, 1.5-3 kg per bush.
It prefers light acidic soil for growth and does not like stagnant water.
Frost resistance down to -40 °C - zone 3 (North Blue winters safely in the Central Russian region, in the northern regions.)

North Country

The bush is compact, moderately spreading, the shoots are strong. It is distinguished by winter hardiness and decorative qualities.

Collected berries can be stored for more than 7 days at a temperature of +4°C.

The height of the bush is 0.7 m - 0.9 m.
Medium ripening - in the first half of August.
Weight 1.2 g, diameter 1.1 - 1.5 cm. The berries are light-colored, medium density, tasty and aromatic.
Productivity 1.6 - 2 kg per bush.
Prefers a sunny area with acidic soil. For full fruiting of North Country blueberries, it is necessary to plant 2-3 different varieties of blueberries nearby.
Frost resistance -40 °C - zone 3 (for growing in northern regions).

Victoria, 45 years old, Tomsk
North Counry interested me as a frost-hardy variety. For the first 3 years they thought that the bush would not take root, but then they found a way to properly acidify the soil, began to reliably cover it for the winter and, as a result, received the much-desired harvest of dark blue berries.

Denis Blu

Tall variety resistant to fungal diseases. Collected berries can be stored at a temperature of +4°C for up to 14 days.

The height of the bush is 1.5-1.8 m.
Mid-late variety. Berries can be picked already at the end of July - beginning of August.
Fruit weight 1.4-1.8 g, diameter 1.6-1.9 cm. The berries are dense, tasty, juicy.
The yield is stable, 7-8 kg per bush.
It is better to grow the variety in sunny or semi-shaded areas. Requires moderate watering.
Frost resistance -34 °C (climatic zone 4). It is possible to grow in the Urals and Moscow region.

Blueberry varieties for the southern regions

Blueberries are traditionally considered a northern berry, but they can be successfully cultivated in regions with warm climates. Southern highbush varieties combine the beneficial properties of northern highbush blueberries with tolerance to the elevated pH levels and hot conditions of southern regions.
For successful growth of blueberries on chernozems and loams, the soil in the planting hole must have an acidity level of pH 3.5-5. Experts say that blueberries ripen even better in the south than in the central zone, especially late varieties.

Spartan

The bush is tall, vertical, produces few shoots. To increase productivity, experts recommend growing Spartan in proximity to other varieties.

The berries tolerate transportation well. The clusters are medium, loose. Ripe berries must be picked immediately, as they may fall off.

The height of the bush is 1.5-2.0 m.
An early ripening variety, berries ripen in mid-July.
The weight of the berries is 1.6-2 g, diameter 1.4-1.8 cm. The taste is pleasantly sour, dessert-like. The berries are blue in color, flattened, with a strong waxy coating, as in the photo. The pulp is dense and aromatic.
Productivity 6 kg per bush.
The variety loves moderately moist soils and is resistant to most diseases.
Frost resistance -29°C (climatic zone 5). It is possible to grow blueberries in the Central Russian region.

Bonus

A spreading, tall bush with very large berries, which are collected in tight clusters and are suitable for manual and mechanized picking.

The variety has excellent keeping quality, is frost-resistant, and disease-resistant. The berries are consumed fresh or used for freezing.

The height of the bush is 1.4-1.6 m.
A mid-late variety, the berries begin to ripen at the end of July - early August.
The weight of the berries is 2.4-3.6 g, diameter is 2-3 cm. The pulp is quite dense and aromatic. The berries have a pleasant blueberry flavor and blue color.
Productivity 4-8 kg per bush.
Needs moist soil. Grows successfully in acidic soils with a pH of 3.8-4.8.
Frost resistance - 35 ° C (climatic zone 4). Possible cultivation in the southern regions.

Chandler

Another large-fruited variety. Chandler has a long berry ripening period - 1-1.5 months. Suitable for commercial use, manual picking of berries is preferred.

The fruits do not last long and do not tolerate transportation well. Often used by gardeners as an ornamental shrub.

The height of the bush is 1.5-1.7 m.
Late-ripening variety of garden blueberry. Berry ripening time: August-September.
The berries are large - 2.6-5 g, with a diameter of 2-3 cm. The color of the berries is blue, with a waxy coating and a scar. The taste is excellent.
Productivity 5–7 kg per bush. Fruiting is annual.
Prefers partial shade.
Frost resistance -35°C It is considered one of the best varieties for growing in central Russia.

Toro

Compact, fast growing bush. Toro blueberries are used for commercial and amateur cultivation.

Ripe fruits do not fall off for a long time without loss of taste and commercial qualities.

Bush height up to 2 m.
Mid-season variety. The berries ripen in early August.
The weight of the berries is 2 - 4 g, diameter is 1.8-2.6 cm. The berries are dark blue, with a waxy coating, collected in long clusters. The pulp is dense, the taste is dessert.
Productivity 5-6 kg per bush. The first berries appear 4 years after planting. Maturation is friendly.
Prefers to grow in sunny places, in loose, moist soils.
Frost resistance is average -28 °C (climatic zone 5). This blueberry variety is recommended for the Moscow region, the Middle Zone, and the southern regions.

Nikolay Lvovich, 44 years old, Kursk
After reading the reviews about Toro blueberries, I immediately decided that this variety should appear at my dacha. Already the first year's harvest, despite its small quantity, pleasantly pleased me with the size of the berries. Everything exactly corresponded to the description and photo, and I did not regret the time spent on this variety.

Berkeley

Tall bush, spreading, with large leaves. Unpretentious in cultivation, resistant to temperature changes.

Often used to organize hedges. Easy to reproduce. Does not tolerate long-term storage and transportation.

The height of the bush is 1.8-2.2 m.
Fruiting later - second half of August.
The weight of the berries is 1.3-1.7 g, diameter 16-19 mm. The berries are pale blue, with a small scar, and are not prone to cracking. The taste is delicate, sweet. After ripening, the berries do not hang on the branches - they fall off.
Productivity 4.5-8.5 kg per bush.
Prefers to be grown in sunny places, protected from winds and drafts.
Frost resistance -28 °C (climatic zone 5). Grows well in the Black Earth Region, Krasnodar Territory, and Volga region.

Anastasia, 55 years old, Volgograd
I really like Berkeley blueberries. Large berries, easy to care for, well stored.

Elliott

Elliot

Tall, upright bush. Fruiting is extended. The first collection is best done manually, after which mechanized harvesting is possible.

Can be transported over long distances. Elliott has good keeping quality.

The height of the bush is 1.5-2.0 m.
Late blueberry variety. Fruiting continues from early September to mid-October. In the presence of cross-pollination, the crop begins to ripen a little earlier.
The weight of the berries is 1.6 g, diameter is 1.3-1.6 cm. The pulp is juicy, dense, aromatic. The color of the berries is light blue.
Productivity 6-8 kg per bush.
Prefers sunny, warm areas without stagnant water.
Frost resistance -29 °C (climatic zone 5). Suitable for cultivation in southern regions.

Sweetheart

The most unique blueberry variety that produces 2 harvests during the growing season.

Large-fruited, with excellent taste, high yield and long fruiting period. Sweetheart is disease resistant.

The height of the bush is 1.4-1.8 m.
Late variety. Ripening extends from late August to late September.
The weight of the berries is 1.2-1.6 g, diameter 1.6-1.8 cm. The berries are round, blue-blue, with juicy pulp, dessert taste.
Productivity is 2.5-3.5 kg per bush.
Prefers sun, partial shade, moist soil.
Frost resistance -34°C (climatic zone 4). Possible cultivation in the Krasnodar Territory and Rostov Region.

Jersey

The bushes are vigorous and spreading. Jersey is one of the best pollinating varieties.

Not afraid of returning spring frosts, resistant to diseases and viruses. The berries are suitable for processing and freezing.

The height of the bush is 1.6-2 m.
Late ripening variety. The harvest ripens in mid-August.
The weight of the berries is 1.2-1.4, the diameter is 1.5-1.6 cm. The berries are medium-sized, light blue in color, round in shape. The taste is pleasant, dessert.
Productivity 4-6 kg per bush.
It takes root well on different types of soil.
Frost resistance down to -29°C (climatic zone 5). Suitable for cultivation in southern regions.

Valery, 53 g, Maykop
This is my sixth year growing the Jersey variety. We've been picking berries for two years now. In the early years we were just learning how to care for blueberries. Now we consider ourselves professionals, we know what can and cannot be done. And the berries, collected for the first time, were a worthy reward for us. I don’t think Jersey is capricious.

Bluejay

Powerful, fast-growing variety. It has excellent taste and decorative properties.

The height of the bush is 1.6-1.8 m.
The variety is early ripening. The berries ripen in mid-July.
The berries are large - 2.5 g. They ripen at the same time and hang on the branches for a long time without falling off. The pulp of the berries is dense, the taste is sweet with a slight sourness.
Productivity 4-6 kg per bush. Fruiting begins in the 3rd year after planting the crop.
Tolerates cultivation in partial shade; in illuminated areas larger and sweeter berries are obtained.
Frost resistance -28 °C. (climate zone 5). Suitable for cultivation in southern regions.

Review from Mikhail, 57 years old, Rostov-on-Don
I've been growing blueberries for many years. One of my favorite varieties is Bluejay. The bushes are not very large yet, but they bear fruit every year. I constantly maintain soil moisture. The Bluejay variety has large, dark purple fruits. Used fresh and for homemade preparations.