Blueberry (lowbush or highbush)
Vaccinium spp. · V. angustifolium and V. corymbosum references
Shrubs with simple leaves, bell-shaped flowers and blue fruits with a calyx crown. Identified ripe berries are used fresh or cooked. Wild blueberries occur in particular acidic woodland and wetland habitats around the region; they are not a common find on every city walk.
Native range
Eastern North America; lowbush blueberry extends into northeastern and Great Lakes regions. Cultivated hybrids have varied ancestry.
Typical season
Broad summer fruit reference. Regional wild populations are habitat-specific and locally scarce; avoid collecting from small or sensitive patches.
Identification
Use shrub form, leaves, flowers and crowned fruit together to resolve the Vaccinium species. Blue colour or a map icon alone cannot identify a berry. This guide concerns wild-growing shrubs; leave garden and farm plantings unpinned.