Vaccinium darrowii Camp

Darrow's Blueberry

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Darrow’s Blueberry is a native evergreen shrub in the Heath family (Ericaceae). It is found in the southern half of Alabama. Darrow’s Blueberry occurs in sandhills, in scrub oak woods, and in dry pine or mixed pine/hardwood forests. It often forms low thickets. Darrow’s Blueberry is a multi-trunked shrub with a bushy, rounded form. The younger stems are green in color, glaucous, and pubescent. Plants are generally from 1-3 feet in height, but may reach 4 feet on occasion. It has alternate, short petiolate, coriaceous leaves that are elliptical in outline and have entire margins. The leaves are small (7-11 mm long, 3-5 mm broad) and often have in-rolled margins. The leaves are glabrous or minutely pubescent along the midrib on the lower surface of the leaf and are glaucous and bluish-green in color. The leaves lack glands on the underside. Flowers are produced in fascicles of 2-6 on wood of the previous season’s growth. Flowers are produced before or with the emergence of new leaves. The flowers are elongated bell-shaped (urceolate) and white or pinkish in color. The fruit is a glaucous blue berry. Darrow’s Blueberries are readily consumed by a variety of wildlife and by humans. In rural parts of Alabama, they are often called “huckleberries” to separate them from their larger, blue fruited relatives. The twigs of Darrow’s Blueberry are an important browse for deer. This species is sometimes available from native wildflower nurseries. It prefers full to partial sun, and acidic soil. Plants often sucker and these can be separated and moved to form new plants.—A. Diamond

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Native FACU (NWPL)

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