Native Plants

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Tuesday - July 07, 2009

From: Southport, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Propagation, Transplants
Title: Transplanting sparkleberry trees in Southport NC
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I am interested in transplanting some sparkleberry trees to my yard. It is on the Cape Fear River and it would have full sun for a large part of the day. When would be a good time to transplant the trees?

ANSWER:

According to this USDA Plant Profile on Vaccinium arboreum (farkleberry) (another common name is sparkleberry) it is native to North Carolina and to the area where you are planning to grow it. That means you shouldn't have to worry about the soil pH. This plant needs an acidic soil, will grow on sandy or rocky soils. In terms of when to plant it, not now. In mid-summer you will stress both plant and planter and the plant, at least, could die. We prefer November to plant woody plants, when there is not much of a risk that there will be either extreme heat nor extreme cold in the first few weeks while the plant is trying to adjust to its new digs. See this Floridata site Vaccinium arboreum for more information.