Deerberry
Vaccinium stamineum
Ericaceae


Landscape Uses:

Accent or specimen shrub.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries.
Description:
Medium to large shrub or small tree. Leaves temperate deciduous, about 1-3 inches long.
Height:
About 10-15 feet in height. Spreading and forming clumps as broad as tall.
Growth Rate:
Slow.
Range:
Eastern and central North America west to Kansas and Texas and south to Palm Beach and Lee counties.
Habitats:
Hammocks and pinelands.
Soils:
Moist, well-drained sandy soils, with humusy top layer, acid pH.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Light shade.
Flower Color:
White with yellowish stamens.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy.
Flowering Season:
Spring.
Fruit:
Whitish to blue-, reddish-, or purplish-black.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Provides food and cover for wildlife. Nectar plant for butterflies and other pollinators. Birds and other animals eat the fruits.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from de-pulped seed.
Comments:


Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton