Vaccinium ashei Pink Lemonade - Blueberry Bush

The Pink Lemonade Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) is a compact variety producing stunning bright pink berries. Its fruits are firm, sweet, and aromatic. The cultivated Blueberry is a bush that can reach a height of 1.50m (5ft), growing in acidic soils. It is best planted in autumn but can be planted throughout the year, avoiding freezing temperatures, for a harvest starting in August.

The Blueberry belongs to the Ericaceae family, like heathers and rhododendrons. There are different types:

- the wild blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), a small bush of about 30 cm (12in), naturally growing in the undergrowth.

- the cultivated blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum or ashei), native to North America and cultivated in gardens. It produces larger and more numerous fruits and can reach a height of 1.50m (5ft).

The cultivated Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum or ashei) is a very hardy, dense and upright bush, reaching a height of 1.50m (5ft) with a spread of 80 cm (32in). The deciduous leaves are 2 to 3 cm (1in) long, lanceolate, elliptical, entire and toothed, medium green, turning bright orange in autumn. Flowering occurs in early May, with small white bell-shaped flowers with slightly reddish edges, measuring 0.5 to 1 cm (0in) long in pendulous clusters measuring 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) long at the tips of the stems. This is followed by the formation of large, 1 cm (0in) diameter berries, usually blue-violet or sometimes pink, as in the Pink Lemonade variety. They ripen in summer, with the first harvest appearing from the second year of cultivation. On the same plant, the harvest will be staggered according to the ripening of the fruits. Blueberries are firm and sweet, with a pleasantly acidic flavour. Blueberries are low in calories but highly nutritious: they are rich in vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, and iron. They can be enjoyed freshly picked, as juice, jam, jelly, sorbet, or in pastries (pies, muffins, etc.). Blueberries can be stored for about ten days after picking and can be frozen for longer storage.

To ensure good pollination and fruiting, it is recommended to plant at least 2 to 3 Blueberry plants of the same variety or different varieties (including self-fertile varieties). In the garden, Blueberries will integrate beautifully into acidic soil beds, alongside rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, and heathers...