# Black Highbush Blueberry (*vaccinium fuscatum*)

The Black Highbush Blueberry is a delightful plant that produces tasty, dark blue berries! Kids love to pick and eat these sweet treats during summer outings in the wild.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** They typically grow in wetlands, forests, and near rivers.

![Black Highbush Blueberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Vaccinium_fuscatum.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Mason Brock ( Masebrock ), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vaccinium_fuscatum.jpg)

## Appearance

The Black Highbush Blueberry is a shrub with distinctive reddish stems and small, bell-shaped white or pinkish flowers. Its berries ripen to a deep purplish-black, often covered in a pale, waxy bloom, making them look dusty.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Ericales
- **Family:** Ericaceae
- **Genus:** Vaccinium

## Interesting facts

- Did you know the darkest blueberries are packed with amazing plant power called anthocyanins?
- Its tiny, bell-shaped flowers are perfectly designed for buzzing bumblebees to pollinate!
- Some people call it the Hairy Highbush Blueberry because its leaves can feel fuzzy!
- This plant often grows with its roots in puddles, loving wet and swampy homes!

## Special abilities

- **Acid Survivor:** Black Highbush Blueberry can thrive in very acidic, boggy soils where other plants struggle to grow.
- **Berry Beacon:** This plant has super juicy, dark berries that attract birds, helping spread its seeds far and wide.
- **Waxy Shield:** Its berries have a special waxy coating called a bloom, protecting them from drying out and pests.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-250 cm
- **Spread:** 100-200 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Buzzing bees help spread its pollen.
- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Robins love to snack on its juicy berries.
- **Eaten by:** American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*) — Black bears fatten up on its sweet fruit.
- **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer sometimes browse its tender leaves.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Black Highbush Blueberry?

Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Black Highbush Blueberry?

100-250 cm

### How wide does Black Highbush Blueberry spread?

100-200 cm

### How big are the flowers on Black Highbush Blueberry?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Black Highbush Blueberry bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Black Highbush Blueberry edible?

Yes

### Is Black Highbush Blueberry toxic?

None

### What is Black Highbush Blueberry's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Wolf Trails Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wolf-trails-park) — Virginia, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Black Highbush Blueberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-highbush-blueberry)