Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
4 ratings

Monday - July 07, 2008

From: Watertown, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Edible Plants, Shrubs
Title: Planting native blueberry bushes in Tennessee
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I have long wished to have wild blueberry bushes at my home. They are native to mountainous regions of my state, but I don't know whether or not it is reasonable to expect to be able to grow them where I live. I have considered constructing some planters for the project, but know that my soil won't get the job done. How can I acquire or prepare the soil I have to be just right?

ANSWER:

To begin with, you are very wise to choose plants native to your area, where they will be accustomed to the environment, and therefore need less water, fertilizer and maintenance. We found three blueberries that are native to Tennessee: Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) Vaccinium fuscatum (black highbush blueberry), and Vaccinium pallidum (Blue Ridge blueberry). We would suppose that this last would be the most likely to grow wild in Tennessee, but the care and planting of all of them will be pretty similar. Please see this Botany.com website on Vaccinium, which is the genus  name for blueberries. Blueberries seem to naturally grow in wooded areas. Fallen leaves will create a more acidic soil, which this plant needs. If they are planted in a more alkaline soil, such as we have in Texas, they will tend to get chlorosis because the alkalinity of the soil prevents the roots from accessing trace elements that they need from the soil, like iron and manganese. Read the above website thoroughly, as it gives very good instructions on what kind of soil you need to grow the plants you want. If you buy blueberry plants, they will most probably be hybridized, with more than one species as parents. If you want to plant the "real" natives, go to our list of Native Plant Suppliers, put your town and city in the Enter Search Location box and you will get a list of seed companies, nurseries and landscape professionals who work mostly with native plants. It would probably be preferable to purchase the plants than to try to transplant them-first because if they're on private land and you don't have permission, digging up plants is illegal, and second because you have a better chance of survival from potted plants that have been grown for nurseries than from digging up roots and moving them.

Vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) - more information and pictures

Vaccinium fuscatum (black highbush blueberry) - more information and pictures

Vaccinium pallidum (Blue Ridge blueberry) - more information and pictures

 

More Shrubs Questions

Need a privacy screen beside a pool in Las Vegas, NV.
June 15, 2012 - Hi, I need to plant a privacy screen fence next to the pool. There is only 4-5 feet between the wall and the pool. That leaves only about 2 feet for soil. What are my best options for non invasive r...
view the full question and answer

Dogwoods cross-pollinating from Snyder, CO
October 24, 2012 - I have a red twig and a yellow twig dogwood. Will they cross-pollinate to produce berries? Thank you
view the full question and answer

Smoky Mountains Shaded Slope Plant Suggestions
April 29, 2013 - We live in a very shady spot in Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. We would like to plant vegetation on a sloped area behind our cottage to stop erosion after building an addition. Our h...
view the full question and answer

Plants for church gardens in Ft. Worth TX
November 07, 2013 - Second attempt. Our church has many gardens in Fort Worth, TX. There are gardens for blue,red,yellow,white,purple,orange,pink,mixed,community garden,roses, and more. I am interested in the la...
view the full question and answer

Prairie wattle for woodland area in Austin
November 29, 2009 - Can prairie wattle be grown in a woodland area? It would get part shade, with full sun for at least half a day. The soil is a bit rocky; location is Austin.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.