Vaccinium elliottii
Vaccinium elliottii | |
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Plant in flower | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Ericaceae |
Genus: | Vaccinium |
Species: | V. elliotti |
Binomial name | |
Vaccinium elliottii Chapm. 1860 | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Vaccinium elliottii (Elliott's blueberry) is a species of Vaccinium in the blueberry group (Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus). It is native to the southeastern and south-central United States, from southeastern Virginia south to Florida, and west to Arkansas and Texas.
Growth
Vaccinium elliottii is a deciduous shrub 2-4 m (5-10 feet) tall, with small, simple ovoid-acute leaves 15-30 mm (0.5-3.2 inches) long with a finely serrated margin. The flowers are pale pink, bell-shaped, 6-8 mm long, opening in the early spring before the new leaves appear.
The fruit is an edible berry 5-8 mm diameter. There are two variants one having tart shiny blue black berries and the other sweeter type having a whitish waxy bloom over the otherwise blue black berries; they ripen from late spring (in Florida) through summer (in Arkansas and Virginia.
Cultivation and uses
Vaccinium elliottii produces a particularly large yield of somewhat sour berries. It is popular for late-season fruit.
Gallery
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Vaccinium elliottii - Leaves
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An unripe Elliott's blueberry, the actual berry is at the picture's bottom.
See also
References
External links
- Germplasm Resources Information Network: Vaccinium elliottii
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile: Vaccinium elliottii