Darrow’s blueberry
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Vaccinium darrowii
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Ericaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Grown by a few native plant nurseries in central and northern Florida. |
Description: |
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Small compact densely-branched shrub with numerous underground branches. Leaves small, thick and bluish-green, about 1/4 to 2/3 inches long; the new growth is pinkish. |
Height: |
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Typically, 1-2 feet in height. Spreading from underground stems and forming masses broader than tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Slow. |
Range: |
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Southeastern United States south to St. Lucie, Hendry and Collier counties; also reported for Martin and Palm Beach counties, where either absent or very rare. |
Habitats: |
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Pinelands. |
Soils: |
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Moist to dry, well-drained sandy soils, without humus, acid pH. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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White to pink. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Semi-showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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Spring. |
Fruit: |
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Blue berry; edible. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Provides food and cover for wildlife. Nectar plant for butterflies and other pollinators. Birds and other animals eat the fruits. |
Horticultural Notes: |
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Comments: |
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Very similar to Vaccinium myrsinites, but with bluish foliage. |
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George D. Gann, 2017 In cultivation, Florida
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