Changing leaves are a beautiful part of fall in the garden, but that’s not the only way to make your garden interesting. Fall berries give you a pop of color and add a new texture to your fall space. Berries are also beneficial to wildlife, namely birds, who will happily gobble them up.
A lot of shrubs bear berries in the fall, but we’re only going to talk about 10 bigger ones. First, though, let’s talk about what it means for a shrub to need a pollinator to make fruit.
Blue berries are an iconic fruit that add both visual appeal and delicious flavor to any garden. From vibrant blue huckleberries to sweet serviceberries, many shrubs produce berries in shades of blue and purple that attract birds, pollinators, and hungry humans alike. When selecting plants with blue berries, you’ll have lots of options. Let’s explore some top choices to incorporate into your home landscape.
Bilberry
With tiny blue berries and pink bell-shaped flowers, bilberry shrubs (Vaccinium myrtillus) make a lovely ornamental addition to any garden bed or border Growing just 1-2 feet tall and wide, they work well in rock gardens or containers too The berries ripen in mid-summer with a sweet, almost wild blueberry-like flavor. Just be aware bilberries need acidic soil, so incorporate peat or pine needles if your soil is neutral or alkaline.
Huckleberry
For a taller shrub reaching 5-10 feet look to huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium). Often growing wild, huckleberries produce abundant clusters of tiny deep blue berries with a delicious sweet-tart taste. You can cultivate your own by planting in part to full shade and acidic well-drained soil. Prune huckleberries after fruiting to maintain an informal but shapely habit. The pinkish-white spring flowers are a bonus.
Chokeberry
Also called aronia berry, the chokeberry (Aronia species) offers pretty white blooms followed by deep purple-blue berries that persist into winter. Their mouth-puckering tartness mellows into an enjoyable flavor when cooked in jams or desserts. Growing just 3-6 feet tall, chokeberries are unfussy, tolerating varying soil types and partial shade to full sun. They’re also resistant to disease and deer. For landscaping, try planting en masse for best fruit production and visual impact.
Blue Elderberry
For large shrubs or small trees up to 12 feet tall consider blue elderberry (Sambucus cerulea). This fast-growing plant produces clusters of sweet dark blue berries in mid to late summer prized for juices, jams and wine. You’ll also enjoy the elderberry’s showy cream flowers in spring. These native shrubs thrive in partly sunny spots with consistent moisture. Prune annually to maintain their form. Just cook the berries before eating as they can cause nausea if eaten raw.
Serviceberry
One of the most ornamental options, serviceberry (Amelanchier) offers multi-season beauty with white spring blooms, reddish-purple fall foliage, and edible blue summer berries. Depending on variety, serviceberries reach 15-25 feet at maturity in an upright form. The sweet/tart berries make tasty jams, pies, or muffins. Serviceberries grow in various soil types and need at least 6 hours of sun. Prune only while dormant to avoid disease.
Blueberry
No list of blue berry plants would be complete without blueberry shrubs (Vaccinium species). Ranging from low-growing wild varieties to over 6 feet tall, blueberries bear familiar small blue berries perfect for snacking, baking, or freezing. Plant in acidic, well-draining soil enriched with peat moss. Blueberries need full sun and consistent moisture. While nearly pest and disease-free, bird netting may be needed to protect ripening fruit. Choose your preferred type from wild lowbush, highbush, rabbit-eye, and more.
With their vibrant fruit and multi-season appeal, it’s easy to see why shrubs producing blue berries are garden favorites. Work a few into your landscape for beauty, tasty fruit, and to support birds and pollinators. Just be sure to select varieties suited to your growing conditions for the best success.
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What does it mean for a berry-producing shrub to need a pollinator?
Some berry-producing shrubs need a pollinator in order to bear fruit. There are shrubs that have male and female flowers on different plants. The female shrub is the only one that bears berries. In this case, one male plant can pollinate up to five female plants. Viburnums are another type of shrub that only needs a different type of the same species to produce fruit. In this case, both plants produce fruit. In both cases, the pollinator plant that is compatible with the other plant should be planted within 50 feet of it. This is because that’s how far an insect pollinator can usually fly when it’s looking for food. There are also shrubs that are self-fruitful and don’t need a pollinator to produce berries.
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FAQ
What plant has berries that look like blueberries?
What shrub has blue berries?
Are there any poisonous blueberry look alikes?
What are the berries that are blue but not blueberries?
What plants grow well with blueberries?
Labrador Tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum): This native shrub likes acidic, boggy soils and can provide an interesting backdrop for lowbush blueberries. Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata): This low-growing perennial can create colorful ground cover and complement the colors of blueberry foliage.
Are blueberries ornamental plants?
Blueberries are gorgeous plants. With fragrant spring blooms, stunning fall color, and vibrant summer berries, they are as deserving of space in the ornamental garden as they are among row crops.
What flowers eat blueberries?
Marigold: Marigolds are known for their pest-repelling properties and can help keep harmful insects away from your blueberries. Zinnia: Zinnias come in a variety of colors and can attract butterflies and other pollinators. Their bright flowers can complement the blueberries’ foliage.
Do blueberry bushes produce fruit?
Yield and Fruit Quality: Blueberry bushes that are cross-pollinated often produce larger, juicier, and more flavorful berries. While you can have a single blueberry bush and still get fruit, planting at least two compatible varieties is generally recommended for better fruit production and overall plant health.
Which blueberry bushes need companion planting?
Highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are another popular type of blueberry that can benefit from companion planting. All of the blueberry bushes we have are highbush blueberries. Highbush blueberries are larger than lowbush varieties, growing from 5 to 10 feet tall. They have an upright growth habit with woody stems.
What are southern high bush blueberries?
Southern high bush blueberries ( Vaccinium x corymbosum) are a hybrid developed at the University of Florida to produce plants with high fruit quality and productivity, along with the low chilling requirement necessary to produce berries in the Deep South. The third type of plant is northern highbush