Guide to Blueberry Varieties: Rabbiteye, Southern Highbush & Northern Highbush (Complete 2025 Edition)

Rabbiteye Blueberries (Zones 6–9)

Rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium ashei) are native to the southeastern United States and are the most heat‑tolerant, drought‑resistant, and long‑lived blueberry type. They thrive in the South, producing heavy crops with minimal care. Rabbiteyes require cross‑pollination, so planting at least two varieties is essential.

Alice Blue

Alice Blue is an early‑ripening Rabbiteye known for its medium‑sized berries and vigorous, tall, spreading growth habit. It performs exceptionally well in warm southern climates and produces reliable crops when paired with a pollinator like Climax. Its early season harvest makes it a great choice for gardeners wanting fruit before mid‑summer.

Baldwin

Baldwin is a vigorous, upright variety producing dark‑blue, medium‑sized berries with a small, dry stem scar. It ripens mid‑to‑late season, extending the harvest window. Baldwin is valued for its productivity and excellent fruit quality, making it a strong choice for home growers and small farms.

Becky Blue

Becky Blue ripens early and produces medium‑to‑large, light‑blue berries with a sweet, pleasant flavor. It grows tall and spreading, performing well in both high and low chill conditions. This adaptability makes it a reliable choice for a wide range of southern climates.

Bluebelle

Bluebelle produces large, dark berries with excellent flavor and a long harvest period. Its upright growth habit and strong production make it ideal for home gardens. The berries are known for their rich taste and consistent quality.

Brightwell

Brightwell is one of the most popular Rabbiteye varieties thanks to its early‑to‑mid‑season ripening, sweet flavor, and vigorous upright growth. It produces light‑blue berries and serves as an excellent pollinator partner for many other Rabbiteye varieties. Brightwell is a dependable, high‑yielding choice for Southern growers.

Centurion

Centurion ripens mid‑to‑late season and produces medium‑to‑large, dark berries with good flavor. Its upright growth habit makes it easy to manage, and it pairs well with pollinators like Brightwell and Powderblue. Centurion is ideal for extending the harvest into late summer.

Climax

Climax is an early‑ripening Rabbiteye that produces medium‑sized, sweet berries. It is known for its upright growth and lush green foliage. Climax is a heavy producer and an excellent choice for gardeners wanting large early‑season harvests.

Columbus

Columbus ripens early‑to‑mid season and produces large, flavorful berries with excellent color. It is known for its reliable yields and strong performance in Southern climates. Columbus pairs well with Tifblue and Powderblue for pollination.

Garden Blue

Garden Blue is a vigorous grower producing medium‑sized, light‑blue berries with fine flavor. It ripens early‑to‑mid season and is well‑suited for home gardens thanks to its productivity and attractive growth habit.

Ira

Ira is a self‑fertile Rabbiteye — a rare trait — though yields improve with a partner. It ripens mid‑to‑late season and produces medium‑to‑large berries. Ira’s upright, vigorous growth makes it a strong landscape plant as well.

Montgomery

Montgomery ripens early‑to‑mid season and produces midsize, light‑blue berries. Its semi‑upright growth habit and moderate vigor make it easy to maintain. Montgomery is a reliable producer for Southern gardens.

Onslow

Onslow is known for producing some of the largest berries of any Rabbiteye variety. It is self‑fertile, vigorous, and semi‑upright, ripening mid‑to‑late season. Onslow is an excellent choice for gardeners seeking large, showy berries.

Pink Lemonade

Pink Lemonade is one of the most ornamental blueberry varieties available. It produces firm, sweet, pink berries from early‑to‑mid season and may continue fruiting into fall. Its glossy green foliage and unique berry color make it a standout in edible landscapes and containers.

Powderblue

Powderblue is a late‑season Rabbiteye known for its high productivity and medium‑to‑large sweet berries. Its upright growth and strong foliage make it a durable, dependable choice for Southern growers.

Premier

Premier ripens early‑to‑mid season and produces large, flavorful berries. It is highly productive and grows upright with strong foliage. Premier is one of the best early‑season Rabbiteyes for home gardens.

Southland

Southland ripens mid‑to‑late season and produces medium‑to‑large berries with consistent quality. Its compact, upright growth habit makes it suitable for smaller spaces and home landscapes.

Tifblue

Tifblue is a classic Rabbiteye variety, ripening mid‑to‑late season with medium‑to‑large berries. It is cold‑hardy, drought‑tolerant, and highly ornamental thanks to its red fall foliage. Tifblue remains one of the most widely planted Rabbiteyes in the South.

Yadkin

Yadkin ripens mid‑season and produces medium‑to‑large berries with excellent color. It is semi‑upright, moderately vigorous, and self‑fertile. Yadkin also offers attractive red‑to‑yellow fall foliage, adding ornamental value.

Southern Highbush Blueberries (Zones 6–10)

Southern Highbush blueberries are hybrids bred for low chill hours, heat tolerance, and early ripening. They are ideal for the Southeast, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and coastal regions.

Below are the full Southern Highbush varieties from your catalog.

Arlen

Arlen is a self‑fertile, late‑season Southern Highbush with upright, vigorous growth. It produces medium‑to‑large, light‑blue berries with excellent flavor and firmness. Arlen performs well in warmer southern climates and is valued for its attractive fruit and strong plant structure.

Beaufort

Beaufort ripens mid‑to‑late season and produces medium‑sized berries with good flavor. Its reliable performance and strong fruit quality make it a solid choice for home growers in warm climates.

Bladen

Bladen is an early‑season ripener producing light‑blue, medium‑sized berries. It grows vigorously and upright, making it easy to manage. Bladen is a dependable early producer for Southern gardens.

Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge ripens early‑to‑mid season and produces large berries on a vigorous, upright plant. It is productive and well‑suited for Southern climates, offering strong yields and good berry quality.

Cape Fear

Cape Fear is an early‑ripening Southern Highbush with large, firm berries. Its semi‑upright, spreading growth habit and vigorous performance make it a strong landscape and production variety.

Carteret

Carteret is a self‑fertile, early‑to‑mid season variety developed by NC State. It produces medium‑sized berries with excellent flavor and grows to about 4.5 feet tall. Carteret is ideal for smaller gardens and container growing.

Georgia Gem

Georgia Gem thrives in hot southern climates and does not require a pollinator. It produces berries from early May through June and grows 6–8 feet tall and wide. Its dark blue‑green foliage adds ornamental value.

Gulf Coast

Gulf Coast is an early‑season variety producing firm, flavorful berries with excellent color. It is known for superior fruit quality and strong performance in warm, humid climates.

Legacy

Legacy is one of the most popular Southern Highbush varieties thanks to its mid‑to‑late season ripening, excellent flavor, and upright, vigorous growth. It produces medium‑to‑large berries and offers beautiful fall foliage.

Lenoir

Lenoir ripens mid‑season and produces medium‑sized berries. It can be mechanically harvested and performs well in both fresh and processing markets. Lenoir requires a pollinator and is valued for its productivity.

Misty

Misty is an early‑ripening variety with sky‑blue berries and spicy‑sweet flavor. Its blue‑green foliage and pink‑white spring blooms make it one of the most ornamental Southern Highbush varieties. Misty grows 4–6 feet tall and turns burgundy in fall.

New Hanover

New Hanover is a self‑fertile, early‑ripening variety producing medium‑sized berries. It grows semi‑upright and vigorously, offering abundant pollen and reliable yields.

Pamlico

Pamlico is an early‑season Southern Highbush developed by NC State. It produces medium‑sized berries with good flavor and firmness and is resistant to blueberry stem blight. Pamlico is suitable for both hand and machine harvest.

O’Neal

O’Neal is often the first blueberry to ripen in the season. It produces large, flavorful berries and features attractive gray‑green foliage with red stems. O’Neal requires a pollinator and is prized for its exceptional taste.

Reveille

Reveille is a heat‑tolerant variety producing small‑to‑medium berries with crisp skins and excellent flavor. Its semi‑evergreen foliage turns red in cold weather, adding ornamental appeal. Reveille is self‑fertile and performs well in warm, humid climates.

Robeson

Robeson ripens early and bridges the gap between Rabbiteye and Highbush seasons. It is vigorous, upright, and adaptable to a wide range of soils, including higher pH levels. Robeson requires a pollinator and produces medium‑sized berries.

Sharpblue

Sharpblue is one of the most adaptable Southern Highbush varieties, requiring only 200 chill hours. It can bloom and fruit nearly year‑round in mild climates. Sharpblue produces medium berries with robust flavor and grows 5–6 feet tall.

Summit

Summit ripens mid‑to‑late season and produces medium berries with good color and flavor. Its semi‑upright, open growth habit and vigorous performance make it suitable for Southern gardens.

Sampson

Sampson ripens early‑to‑mid season and produces large to very large berries with good flavor. It grows upright and vigorously, performing best in areas with moderate winter chill.

Sunshine Blue

Sunshine Blue is a compact, ornamental Southern Highbush producing medium‑sized, firm berries mid‑to‑late season. Its blue‑green foliage turns burgundy in fall, and it tolerates higher pH soils better than most blueberries. Sunshine Blue is self‑pollinating and excellent for containers.

Northern Highbush Blueberries (Zones 3–7)

Northern Highbush blueberries are the most widely planted blueberries in the world. They are cold‑hardy, vigorous, and highly productive, making them ideal for northern climates and mountain regions.

Below are the full Northern Highbush varieties from your catalog.

Berkley

Berkley produces large, firm, light‑blue berries ripening early‑to‑mid season. It grows tall (4–6 feet) with widely spaced branches and is known for heavy crops and excellent berry size. Berkley is a strong grower for northern climates.

Bluecrop

Bluecrop is considered the gold standard of Northern Highbush blueberries. It ripens early‑to‑mid season and produces large, firm berries with excellent flavor. Bluecrop is drought‑resistant, hardy, and highly productive — ideal for home gardens and commercial farms.

Bluegold

Bluegold grows 4–6 feet tall and produces firm, light‑blue berries mid‑to‑late season. It features attractive dark green foliage that turns red‑purple in fall. Bluegold is cold‑tolerant and easy to harvest thanks to its excellent fruit clusters.

Blue Jay

Blue Jay is an early‑to‑mid season variety producing large, firm berries. Its upright, vigorous growth habit makes it easy to maintain, and it performs well in cooler climates.

Blue Ray

Blue Ray produces large, sweet berries in tight clusters. It ripens early‑to‑mid season and is known for its upright, vigorous growth and excellent productivity. Blue Ray is a favorite for home gardens.

Bounty

Bounty ripens early‑to‑mid season and produces large, firm berries with excellent flavor. It is a strong, productive variety suitable for northern climates.

Chandler

Chandler is famous for producing some of the largest blueberries of any variety. It ripens mid‑to‑late season and has an extended harvest window. Chandler’s upright growth and giant berries make it a standout.

Croatan

Croatan is an early‑season producer of medium‑to‑large berries with good color and firmness. It grows vigorously with a spreading habit and is well‑suited for northern gardens.

Duke

Duke is an early‑ripening, high‑yielding variety with medium‑to‑large berries. It is upright, vigorous, and highly ornamental. Duke is one of the most reliable Northern Highbush varieties for home growers.

Echota

Echota ripens mid‑to‑late season and produces light‑blue berries with excellent shelf life. It is self‑fertile, vigorous, and upright, making it a strong choice for northern climates.

Elliott

Elliott is a late‑season variety producing small‑to‑medium firm berries. It has upright growth and good ornamental value. Elliott is ideal for extending the harvest into late summer.

Jersey

Jersey ripens late season and produces medium‑to‑large berries with great flavor. It is hardy, upright, vigorous, and highly ornamental. Jersey is a long‑time favorite for northern growers.

Northland

Northland is an early‑season variety producing small, firm berries. Its low, spreading growth habit makes it an excellent ornamental plant. Northland is extremely cold‑hardy.

Patriot

Patriot ripens early and produces large, firm berries. It grows upright and is highly ornamental. Patriot is cold‑hardy and performs well in northern climates.

Pender

Pender is a self‑fertile, mid‑season variety producing midsize berries with excellent flavor and color. It has semi‑upright growth and good drought tolerance.

St. Cloud

St. Cloud ripens mid‑season and produces medium‑to‑large berries with excellent flavor. It grows upright and requires cross‑pollination. St. Cloud performs well in cold climates.

Spartan

Spartan is an early‑ripening variety producing large, abundant berries. It is self‑fertile, upright, and easy to manage. Spartan is prized for its flavor and productivity.

Sweetheart

Sweetheart is a Northern/Southern hybrid producing early‑season berries with excellent sweetness. It is cold‑hardy, self‑pollinating, and highly productive. Sweetheart is ideal for gardeners wanting a reliable, flavorful crop.

Final Thoughts

With so many exceptional blueberry varieties available, gardeners can choose plants perfectly suited to their climate, soil, and taste preferences. Whether you’re growing in the deep South, the Carolina Piedmont, or the northern mountains, there is a blueberry variety — or several — that will thrive in your garden.