Certified Organic
Blueberry Plants/Bushes

All Plants Certified Organic Certified Organic by Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

All Blueberry Plants $24.00 each*
buy 4 or more, $22.00 each
*(Northblue and North Sky
lowbush blueberry plants $18.50 each)

We are now taking orders for blueberry plants that will be shipped starting in August and through November. All cultivars should be available (Arlen and Patriot WILL NOT be available until 2011).
Some cultivars are in limited supply.
Orders will be shipped
in the order they are received.
Thank you to all of our patrons for your enthusiasm and support of
Backyard Berry Plants,
your certified organic berry plant nursery.

2.5 to 3-gallon container grown bushes
Shipping season runs from April through December.
Most cultivars are available, and will be reserved for shipment as orders are received.
Potted plants can be planted
when ever the ground is workable.
We never ship plants when temps soar
over 90 degrees.

(sorry for the inconvenience, but we are unable to ship blueberry plants to Oregon.)

I have started to add some pictures of fruiting blueberry plants in our websites photo gallery, which can be reached by clicking here
Photo Gallery , or on the link which is in the address bar at the bottom of this page.

Need to find your USDA hardiness zone?
This link will take you there:
USDA planting zone map

All of our plants and products are free of genetically modified organisms (GMO's) and are Certified Organically Grown

Index to types:
Lowbush and wild highbush blueberry plants

Northern Highbush blueberry plants:
Early Season, Mid Season, Late Season

New for 2010!
Southern Highbush blueberry plants

Fresh from the Bush

Lowbush and wild blueberry plants

Northblue blueberry bush
2010 price is $18.50 per plant

This cultivar is very productive, producing 3# to 5# of large-sized berries at maturity. They are sweet with no hint of tartness when fully ripe, and the bush is very cold-hardy. Bred in Minnesota for Canadian winters, this plant is a gem. Short stature of 24 “ means that you can easily cover this bush if birds are a problem. Planting distance is half that of Highbush cultivars. Northblue is also very drought hardy when established. Its berries ripen in late June to early July here in Brown County. Zones 3-7

As this plant is so much smaller than the other lowbush, we've decided to grow Northblue in a 1 or 1.5 gallon pot. They are very cute, productive plants, and excellent for container culture on the patio, porch, or balcony in USDA zones 5-7. Best grown outdoors.

Northsky lowbush blueberry
2010 price is $18.50 per plant

Northsky grows just 12"-18" tall, and yields around 2# of small-medium sized, sweet, sky-blue berries a year. Great for containers and small gardens (square foot and others). Very hardy plant, it can be spaced 18-24" apart. Northsky is from the same traditional breeding program that produced Northblue, and resembles in both habit and berry flavor the wild lowbush blueberries that is Northskys heritage. Northsky has been growing at our farm for over 10 years, and has never failed to produce (even in the 2007 Freeze, Northsky made a crop of berries).
Hardy to zones 3a-7.

Like Northblue, we grow this small blueberry in a wide 1 gallon, and its price is $18.50 a plant. It has the same potted hardiness as Northblue. Best grown outdoors.

Friendship blueberry bush

Friendship is a true wild blueberry, and was selected from a wild blueberry heath near Friendship, WI, by breeders looking for superior wild stock for improving the genetics of lowbush cultivars. Friendship performed so well in trials, it was released just as nature intended. Friendship reaches 36”-46" tall. It is a very vigorous grower producing 4-6# of medium sized, deep blue fruit. Flavor is comparable to the wild blueberry, sweet and aromatic. Fall color is orange-red, and it holds its leaves longer than other cultivars. Ripening is mid-late season, from mid to late July here in Brown County. Friendship also lends itself to container culture (USDA zones 5-7) but does need a larger pot than would be used for the Northblue or Polaris blueberries. Zones 4-7

Polaris blueberry bush

Polaris is a close relative of Northblue, bred in Minnesota to withstand the cold and snow. Here in Brown County it has proved extremely hardy. Of all the blueberries I grow, it is the only one that set a full crop of berries after the 2007 April Freeze. No dieback, no browned flowers, and 3 pounds of medium large, powder blue berries. They are very sweet, as they have a high proportion of wild blueberry in their heritage. They grow to 3 feet, and are nice and bushy with strong branches. Excellent for outdoor container culture in USDA zones 5-7. Polaris continues to be the stoutest blueberry cultivar we grow and sell.
It is an early variety. Zones 3-7

Rubel blueberry bush

This blueberry bush is an heirloom variety, selected from the wild in 1911 for its superior flavor and vigor. It was one of the first blueberry cultivars named, and the only one from that period still in production. Rubel is a strong grower, reaching 6-7’ at maturity. Very good yielder of small to medium sized berries with excellent flavor (the flavor of the wild blueberries on the New Jersey barrens). Yields range between 7-12# of berries, which ripen from mid-July to early August here in Brown County. Production here is erratic, with roller-coaster springs seemingly the worst cause of yield reduction. As it is a coastal cultivar, it most likely prefers more tempered springs for best yields. Still, it always produces excellent berries. Zones 4-7

St. Cloud blueberry bush

Another introduction from the University of Minnesota, this plant grows to about 3’ tall. This is the earliest of all of our lowbush varieties, producing medium sized berries in full clusters. St. Cloud has a sweet taste and is a sturdy producer (5# at maturity) of deep blue berries. Excellent fall color. Ripens 1 week before Duke and Patriot. Is purported to require cross-pollination for fruit set. Zones 4a-7

Hannah's Choice blueberry bush

This is a very early ripening cultivar that has excellent flavored fruit. It yields an average of 9-11 pounds of fruit per season, with the berries being medium-large in size. The bush reaches about 5’ at maturity, and has an upright habit. Flowers have a pink tinge in spring, which sets it apart from most other cultivars. Hannah's ripens even before St Cloud, making it the earliest one I grow. This cultivar produced a 70% crop after the 2007 April freeze. Ripens here in Brown County in Early June. Zones 5b-7

Chanticleer blueberry bush

Chanticleer is a vigorous, large fruited cultivar. It is also the earliest ripening highbush , with consistently sweet fruit. Production has been very steady as well, with mature bushes yielding between 9-11 pounds of fruit here in south-central Indiana. Berries come ripe by late May to mid-June, depending upon the spring weather. The breeder has also observed high resistance to stem blight and mummy berry, two afflictions often seen in areas of the country with large, commercial blueberry plantations. I have noticed better production and yield when Chanticleer is planted with the soil-less planting method listed here on our website.
Zones 5b-7

Patriot blueberry bush

Sold out for 2010 shipping season.
Available in summer 2011.

Short and stocky grower to 4-5’, but can reach 6’ if unpruned. Produces very large berries early, with later ripening berries decreasing to a medium size. Ripens intermittently for staggered harvest over 4-5 weeks. Fruit is formed in tight clusters, with firm berries and dry picking scars lending a longer storage life in the fridge than other cultivars. Patriot is great for homeowners who want to protect and pick from the same bush for a longer period of time, gleaning 10# of berries. Ripens early season, after Hannah and before Blue Moon, about early-mid June here in Brown County. Zones 3a-7

Northland blueberry bush

New for 2010!

Developed by Michigan State University, Northland is a bushy, limber-branched shrub that can withstand winds and heavy snow loads without breaking. Hardy for the North, it has mostly wild heritage, which shows through in the berries. They are sweet, small sized, dark blue, and prolific, with yields ranging from 10-14 pounds of fruit (the higher yields will be seen in more northerly areas, especially coastal areas with moderated springs and ample winter snowfall). An excellent, compact bush, Northland grows to around 4 feet tall, and has beautiful fall colors that range from reds to oranges.
Hardy in USDA zones 3-7.

Chippewa blueberry bush

New for 2010! Limited quantities.

From the breeding program of the University of Minnesota, Chippewa is a northern gem. Growing to 3-4 feet tall, it is a compact, attractive, cold-hardy blueberry plant. Ripening near the end of June here in Brown County, IN, Chippewa stands out from the other cultivars with its elliptical, dark green leaves, which are thicker than leaves found on other cultivars. Fully self-pollinating, Chippewa produces respectable yields of 3-6 pounds of very sweet berries. Berry size is variable from medium to large sized. Very cold hardy, it has produced well after winters of minus 40 below in Minnesota. I have found that Chippewa prefers a planting mix that is comprised fully of sphagnum peat moss and shredded pine bark mulch or mini-nuggets. Unless you live in an area with lots of native blueberry, follow planting suggestions for "soil-less" method for best results.
Hardy in USDA zones 3-7.

Blue Moon blueberry bush

This is a full, vigorous shrub reaching 5-6’ in height. Blue Moon’s fruit is large and light blue. The flavor is excellent, and the picking scar is dry, so fruit holds up in the fridge well. A concentrated producer, all fruit can be picked in a two week period. This cultivar is also the most adapted to our latitude and climate, performing with more consistency than any other cultivar. Blue Moon was the number one choice for best flavor at our family’s Fourth of July picnic. A mature plant will yield 10-12# of fruit. Most years, Blue Moon ripens just prior to Blue Gold, mid to late June, but some years ripens in early July here in Brown County. Zones 4a-7

Cara's Choice blueberry bush

Introduced by the USDA /New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Cara's Choice is a strong yielder with a more compact shape. Coming ripe between Blue Moon and Bluegold (most years it overlaps the last of Blue Moon and the first of Bluegold), Cara's berries are medium large with fine, aromatic sweetness and light, powder blue berries. Growing to just a little over 4 feet tall, and yielding an average 8-12# of fruit, Cara's is easily worked into smaller gardens or backyards. Zones 5-7.

Bluegold blueberry bush

Selected in 1989, Blue Gold was a plant breeders success for late mid-season, sweet blueberries. Blue Gold has a short stature, with a tendency for wide branches. Mature height is 4’, with a classic bushy habit. This cultivar has been a dependable producer. Blue Gold has medium sized berries that are very sweet, and ripen from early thru mid July here in Brown County. Zones 4a-7

Elizabeth blueberry bush

This variety was re-introduced to cultivation in 2002 due to the excellent flavor of its fruit. Originally selected in 1966 by the New Jersey Blueberry Council, and named after Elizabeth White, this cultivar has very large, sweet berries of medium blue that ripen after Blue Gold here in Brown County. Yield is 10-12# per bush, with bush height reaching 6 feet with a spreading habit. This cultivar has been one of the fastest growing and producing I have yet planted. Young plants grow strongly in all directions, so keep low, horizontal branches trimmed to encourage stronger vertical growth. Zones 4b-9

Bonus blueberry bush

New for 2010!

This cultivar was named for its very large sized fruit and consistent, high yields. The extra-large, juicy, bright blue berries are very sweet, and yields on a mature bush will range between 8-12 pounds (higher yields have been reported in coastal Michigan). Bonus will mature to a height of 5-6' by 3' wide, with an upright habit and strong branches. Bonus begins ripening its fruit a little after Elizabeth has begun turning ripe. The size and flavor of the berries on Bonus make it a great cultivar for exhibition or fresh-market sales at farmers markets.
Hardy in USDA zones 4-8.

Nelson blueberry bush

Sold Out for 2010 season.
Available in summer 2011.

Nelson is a late, mid-season blueberry bush that yields sweet, very large berries that are firm and juicy. It is also very cold hardy, growing well into USDA zone 3. Nelson must be planted in a pure mix of sphagnum peat moss with shredded pine bark mulch or mini-nuggets to thrive. Local soils, unless one lives in blueberry country, are too challenging for Nelson to perform well. But we have had great fortune with it here in the peat mix. Nelson grows to 6 feet tall, yielding 10-13 pounds of fruit a season at maturity (8 years old). Developed by the ARS-USDA as a cold hardy, large fruited berry with excellent flavor.
Hardy in USDA zones 3-7.

Jersey blueberry bush

This is another heriloom cultivar that has weathered drought, flooding, locusts, and neglect (the Four Horsemen of farming) here on our farm. Although it has not been very productive, it has been very consistent and doughty. Its lower performance on the farm is most likely due to its distant location on high ground, far from water. It purportedly can attain 7' tall, though mine are all more around 5', with yields of 4-7# instead of the listed 7-10# one sees elsewhere. They are small berried, but very tasty, some years with a hint of tartness, some years totally sweet. I will be moving some to a better location, and hope to see them flourish. Jersey has been the sole survivor of a planting that included eight other varieties (Spartan, Earliblue, Blueray, Ivanhoe, Nelson, Herbert, Coville, and Duke). Zones 4b-8

Legacy blueberry bush

Introduced in 1993 by the USDA, Legacy has just recently found it's way to our farm. This variety is planted commercially in warmer zones (USDA 7-8), as it shows good resistance to stem canker. I have never seen canker here, but we are not in a commercial blueberry production area (where diseases are, of course, more common). My Legacy plants are still young, but have been growing very vigorously. They should top out at 5-6 feet, and ripens just before Chandler (some years they have overlapped nicely). The berries are medium to medium-large sized, and very sweet when ripened on the bush. I don't have a mature yield on them yet, but it looks as if it will be between 8-10# (possibly more with better irrigation) and fairly consistent. Zones 5-8

Chandler blueberry bush

Chandler is a 1994 release by the USDA Blueberry Breeding Program. It is a relatively new cultivar on our farm, but it does show strong growth and vigor. Chandler’s particular traits are a light blue berry that is consistently very large with fine, sweet flavor. Production is a bit lower than other late season cultivars (we're at 7# on a seven year bush), but the berries are so much bigger than others at this time of year, I find it rewarding to grow. Chandler reaches 5-6’ in height, and ripens late July to mid August, right before Arlen (some overlap) . Zones 5b-8

Arlen blueberry bush

Sold out for 2010 shipping season.
Available starting August 2011.

Developed at the North Carolina Agriculture Research Station in Raleigh, Arlen has shown good resistance to stem blight disease in areas where this disease is prevalent. I am replacing (slowly) our Elliott blueberries with Arlen and some other late varieties, because Elliott seems to be very sensitive to water stress and prefers only certain microclimates on our farm. Arlen has larger fruit than Elliott (though not as big as Chandler), and it is a little sweeter. It is still new to our farm, and initial yields have looked good, but I can't see the bush at maturity producing more than
10-12# of berries at our latitude (trials in New Jersey have shown it in excess of 14# per plant). Reaches 5-6' at maturity, and plants are very robust. Zones 5-8

Aurora blueberry bush

Aurora is a new variety that has pushed the envelope of late ripening blueberries. Elliott to date has been the undisputed ruler, but Aurora's main cropping is just ever so slightly later. Admittedly, at our farm's latitude, there is less distinction of ripening times for the late season cultivars, but Aurora is at least as late as Elliott. It is also much easier to grow than Elliott, and has much sweeter berries. This variety has been on our farm for just a few years, but it has been growing well and producing nice berries, the same size as Elliott. It has a habit that is branching, and it is a spreading shrub more than erect. Aurora's fruit comes ripe between August and early September (earlier if summer is hot and dry, later if summer temps stay out of the 90's) here in Brown County, Indiana. Zones 5-8

Certified Organic
Southern Highbush
blueberry plants

New for 2010!

Available for shipping beginning August 2010
Limited quantities available this year as we assess demand and
build up our stock.

These blueberry cultivars thrive in warmer districts of the United States, including the Gulf Coast, Florida and Southern California. They do not require the winter chilling that Northern highbush and lowbush require, but produce the same high-quality berry with a similar yield to their Northern cousins.
Ripening of the berries will occur earlier in the year the further south one is, but the order of ripening among the different cultviars will remain consistent.
I have listed their hardiness zones, and suggest two different cultivars for proper cross-pollination, unless the cultivar is listed as self-pollinating. Self-pollinating cultivars will also act as cross-pollinators. One may also see slightly larger berries on the self-pollinating cultivars when they are cross-pollinated by another cultivar. The more the merrier, when it comes to blueberries!