Vaccinium pallidum aka Dryland Blueberry

Vaccinium pallidum is a small shrub in the blueberry family. Common names include hillside blueberry, dryland blueberry, and lowbush blueberry. It grows wild in eastern and central North America. Its range includes Ontario and many eastern and central US states. It lives in dry woods, slope forests, clearings, and thickets. The plant sheds its leaves each year. In gardens, it grows 2–3 feet [0.61–0.91 metres] tall and wide. It has a rounded shape and grows at a moderate rate. Underground runners spread outward and form clumps.

The leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the stems. Each leaf is simple and oval to egg-shaped. The upper side is green or yellow-green. The lower side is pale green, sometimes with a waxy coat. Some leaves have hairs beneath them. Most leaf edges are smooth, with occasional teeth near the tip. Fall turns the leaves orange to red. Smooth bark can be green or tinged with red. Young stems are yellow-green and have small raised dots. Older branches turn red or yellow-brown as they become woody.

White flowers hang in close clusters during March and April. Each flower has a bell or urn shape. Blue-black berries follow and ripen in June and July. People can eat the fruit fresh or cook it. Its taste ranges from sweet to rather bland. The shrub crosses readily with other blueberries. This can change the size and shape of its leaves. Flowers and fruit may also vary. The fruit offers food for songbirds and small mammals. Grouse, wild turkeys, and black bears also eat the berries.

Choose a sunny site for the best growth. The shrub also tolerates partial shade and deep shade. It accepts sandy, loamy, or clay soil with good drainage. Acid soil is essential; alkaline soil can kill the plant. It tolerates drought and soil that dries out at times. North Carolina State lists USDA hardiness zones 5a through 9b. It needs little routine care once its soil needs are met.

Use this shrub in native gardens or areas left to naturalize. It can also form a low hedge. Spring flowers, summer fruit, and fall leaves give seasonal interest. It serves as a host for the Brown Elfin butterfly. Its low flammability rating adds another landscape trait. The cited profile identifies alkaline soil as its main growing problem.