VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Vaccinium corymbosum | Highbush Blueberry 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Blueberry fruits provide important summer and early fall food for
numerous species of birds.  In the Southeast, blueberries are a
preferred summer food of wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and quail [26].  As
much as 19 percent of the summer diet of quail may consist of
blueberries [26].  Songbirds which feed heavily on the fruits of
highbush blueberry include the scarlet tanager, eastern bluebird, scrub
jay, rufous-sided towhee, gray catbird, northern mockingbird, brown
thrasher, northern cardinal, and the American robin and several other
thrushes [18,26,27].

Mammals that often consume blueberries include the black bear, red fox,
cottontail, fox squirrel, white-footed mouse, and skunks and chipmunks
[13,18].  


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
The principal components of highbush blueberry berries are water,
sugars, crude proteins, vitamins, fats (in seeds), and fiber [26].  They
are a good source of vitamin C and natural sugars and contain moderate
amounts of trace minerals and other vitamins [17].  One-half cup of
berries contains 41 calories, 1.96 grams of dietary fiber, and 9.6 mg of
vitamin C [17].

Vander Kloet and Austin-Smith [27] reported that seed and pulp energy
varied considerably among highbush blueberries from three geographic
locations.  Northern plants produced fruit with low seed energy and high
pulp energy, while southern plants produced fruit with high seed energy
and low pulp energy.  Mean pulp caloric values for three populations
varied as follows:

        Florida - 52 calories/berry
        Nova Scotia - 141 calories/berry
        Ontario - 184 calories/berry


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Highbush blueberry fruit was eaten by Native Americans.  Leaves and
flowers were used for various medicinal purposes [26].  

Highbush blueberry is one of the most agriculturally important
blueberries of North America.  It is extensively cultivated in New
Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina, and Washington and to a lesser extent
in Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York,
Massachusetts, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia [26].
In 1989, there were over 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) in commercial
highbush blueberry production in North America [8].  Berry yields in
commercial fields often average 2 to 2.5 tons per acre (4.5-5.5 t/ha)
[8].  Since the 1920's, more than 50 highbush cultivars have been
developed [26].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Vaccinium corymbosum | Highbush Blueberry