Climax Rabbiteye Blueberry
A native shrub blueberry that is better adapted to southern climate; tasty blue fruit in summer and excellent fall color; choose cultivars for best fruiting; blueberries need highly acidic, perfectly drained soil, plant with peat moss
Attracts,Birds
Brand,
Brand,
Botanical Name,
Bulb Size,
Bulbs per Package,
Deer Resistant,
Evergreen or Deciduous,
Family,Blueberry
Family Name,
Bloom Time,Early Spring
Foliage Color,Green
Genus,Vaccinium
Genus Name,
Weather,
Days to Emerge,
Days to Maturity,
Edible,Yes
Features,
Growth Rate,Medium
Hardiness,
Hardiness Zone,6b
Harvest Season,Late Spring to Early Summer
Landscape Uses,Orchard
Light Needs,Full Sun, Partial Shade
Mature Height,10 feet
Mature Width,10 feet
Prune Time,Late Winter Pruning
Self Pollinating,Cultivar
Water Needs,Average to Moist
Waterwise,
Essentials for Success
For flourishing plants, use potting soil for potted plants or planting mix for garden beds paired with Root Zone starter fertilizer is the perfect duo to foster robust root growth and minimize transplant shock.
Details
Edible Qualities
Climax Rabbiteye Blueberry is a large shrub that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces clusters of blue round berries which are usually ready for picking from late spring to early summer. The berries have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.
The berries are most often used in the following ways:
- Fresh Eating
- Cooking
- Baking
- Preserves
Features
Climax Rabbiteye Blueberry features dainty clusters of white bell-shaped flowers hanging below the branches in early spring. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The glossy oval leaves turn an outstanding scarlet in the fall. It features an abundance of magnificent blue berries from late spring to early summer.
This is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Aside from its primary use as an edible, Climax Rabbiteye Blueberry is sutiable for the following landscape applications:
- Orchard/Edible Landscaping
Care
Planting & Growing
Climax Rabbiteye Blueberry will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years. This variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.
This shrub is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have sandy, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the leaves in alkaline soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.
