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Blueberry Cultivars
for the Inland Northwest & Intermountain West

Expected yield:
    half-highs:  1-3 pounds per bush
    highbush:  8 to 20 pounds per bush

Age to maturity: 6 to 8 years after planting

Productive life:  more than 50 years

Hardiness:  -15 to -40 F, depending on cultivar

Optimal pH:  4.2 to 4.8

Exposure:  full sun

Plant spacing:
    lowbush:  1 foot between plants
    half-highs:  2 to 3 feet apart in rows 6 to 8 feet apart
    highbush:  4 to 5 feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart

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Growing Blueberries in the Inland Northwest and Intermountain West

 

Cultivars 

listed in order of ripening

 Hardiness zone Height (feet) Fruit Comments
Size Color Flavor Yield
Earliblue 5-7 4-6 M-L light good 8-15

Earliest ripening blueberry. Upright canes. Hand or mechanical harvesting. For fresh and U-pick markets. Susceptible to phomopsis canker.
Bluetta 4-7 3-5 S-M dark tangy 10-20 Better than Earliblue for cold areas or sites with late spring frosts. Compact. Excellent for landscapes. Large stem scar. Mostly hand harvested.
Duke 4-7 4-6 M-L light mild, sweet 15-20+ Good for areas with late spring frosts. Heavy, consistent yields. Hand or mechanical harvest. Attractive, firm fruit with good shelf life.
Spartan 5-7 5-6 L-VL light tangy, sweet 8-12 Large, attractive fruit. upright canes. Hand or mechanical harvest. Partially resistant to mummy berry. Particularly sensitive to high soil pH.
Patriot 3-7 4-5 L dark excellent 10-20 Cold hardy. Spreading shape requires extra side pruning. Hand harvest. Resistant to root rot and adaptable to wetter, heavier soils than most blueberries. Consistent yields. Popular with home and U-pick growers.
Bluejay 4-7 6-7 M light mild 10-20 Extremely vigorous, fast growing, tall canes. Fruit hangs well after ripening. Hand or mechanical harvest. Fresh or process markets.
Northland 3-7 3-6 S-M dark sweet, wild 15-20+ Very cold hardy and adapted to high snowfall areas. Tolerates many soil types. Hand or mechanical harvest. For fresh, U-pick, or process markets. Produces numerous suckers and requires more pruning than most cultivars.
Blueray 4-7 4-6 L bright excellent 10-20 A leading U-pick cultivar. Adapted to areas with hot summers and cold winters. Upright. Hand harvest.
Meader 4-7 5-7 M-L medium good 10-20 Cold hardy and tolerates heavy snow loads. Tends to overcrop. Hand or mechanical harvest. Fresh or process markets.
Toro 4-7 5-6 L medium good 10-20 Stocky, compact. Tolerates fluctuating winter temperatures. Consistent yields. Most berries ripen at once. Hand or mechanical harvest. Primarily fresh and U-pick markets.
North Country 3-7 1-2 S-M light wild, sweet 2-5 Half-high blueberry. Very cold hardy. Hand or rake harvest. Fresh and U-pick markets. Compact bush to 3 feet in diameter. Excellent ornamental.
Northsky 3-7 1-1.5 S light wild, sweet 1-2 Half-high blueberry. Most cold hardy cultivar. Has survived -45o F, but does best with snow cover. Hand or rake harvest. Ideal for containers and ornamental plantings. Spread of 2 - 3 feet.
Northblue 3-7 2-3 L dark good 3-5 Half-high blueberry. Hardy to -35o F, but does best with snow cover. Compact, spreading to 3 feet. Very good fruit quality with good shelf life. Hand or rake harvest. Fresh or U-pick markets. Excellent ornamental
Hardyblue (formerly 1613A) 4-7 4-6 L bright excellent 10-20 Adapted to heavy soils and a wide range of sites. Hand or mechanical harvest. Fresh or process markets.
Bluecrop 4-7 4-6 L bright excellent 10-20 Leading commercial cultivar in North America. Consistent yields of high quality fruit. Disease resistant. Upright. Hand or mechanical harvest. Fresh or process markets.
Nelson 4-7 5-6 L dark excellent 10-15 Excellent for fresh and U-pick markets. Hand harvest.
Friendship 3-7 2 S-M dark wild, excellent 3-5 Half-high cultivar. Small, compact. Very cold hardy and tolerates heavy snow loads. Noted for wild blueberry flavor. Hand harvest. Fresh and U-pick markets.
Jersey 4-7 5-7 S-M dark excellent 7-10 Widely grown. Leading processing blueberry in North America. Hand or mechanical harvest. Ripens late. For areas with long growing seasons.
Elliott 4-7 5-7 S-M light tart, good 10-20 Ripens very late. Only for areas with long growing seasons. Good for areas with late spring frosts. 70 - 80% of fruit ripens at once. Hand or mechanical harvest. Fresh or process markets.

Hardiness zones refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map. 

Fruit Size: S = small, M = medium, L = large, VL = very large.

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