Bluecrop Blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum 'Bluecrop'

fruit

Bluecrop is the worlds most widely planted northern highbush blueberry and the benchmark all others are measured against. Released by the USDA and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station in 1952, it forms a vigorous, upright 4 to 6 ft bush that is drought-tolerant, cold-hardy, and consistently productive, with large, light-blue, firm midseason berries of good flavor. It needs roughly 800 to 1,000 winter chill hours, so it suits zones 4 to 7. Bluecrop is partly self-fertile but yields larger berries and heavier crops when planted with a second highbush variety for cross-pollination.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Strawberry: Shares the acidic soil blueberries need and forms a living groundcover over their shallow roots
• Thyme: Low aromatic groundcover that tolerates acidic soil and draws pollinators
• Rhododendron: A fellow acid-loving shrub - if rhododendrons thrive, the soil pH suits blueberries
• Clover: Living mulch that fixes nitrogen gently and protects the shallow root zone

❌ Keep away from

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Spotted wing drosophila →

  This invasive fly lays eggs in ripening fruit - harvest every 1 to 2 days, refrigerate or freeze berries promptly to kill larvae, and net bushes with fine mesh where pressure is high

• Birds →

  Drape bird netting over the whole bush as berries begin to turn blue; birds can strip a bush in a day

• Mummy berry

  Rake and remove fallen mummified berries under the bush and mulch fresh in spring to bury overwintering spores

• Blueberry maggot

  Hang yellow sticky traps to monitor and harvest promptly; sanitation of dropped fruit reduces numbers

• Botrytis →

  Prune for airflow, avoid overhead watering, and remove infected twigs and fruit in wet weather

🌾 Harvest & storage

Bluecrop ripens midseason over several weeks. Do not rush it: berries turn blue a few days before they are fully sweet, so wait until they detach with the gentlest touch and have a slightly dusty bloom. Pick every few days, rolling ripe berries off into your hand. Bluecrops firmness gives it excellent fresh storage and it freezes beautifully on a tray. Expect full production by the third or fourth year after planting.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Blueberries are famous as one of the highest-antioxidant fruits, owing to the anthocyanins that give the skin its deep blue color and are linked to brain and heart health. A 100 g serving has about 57 calories with useful vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and fiber. The firm, sweet Bluecrop berry is excellent fresh, frozen, baked, or in preserves.