Vaccinium corymbosum Blue Roma

The 'Blue Roma' Blueberry is a classic variety, rather late, that produces an abundance of large berries for a high-yield harvest. Its fruits are of excellent quality with an intense blueberry aroma. From August, its deep blue and firm berries can be harvested. The cultivated Blueberry is a bush that thrives in partial shade or non-scorching sun and requires to be planted in an acidic and moist soil, free of limestone. This nectar-producing variety, self-fertile, with an erect habit, is also appreciated for its beautiful red autumn colours, before the deciduous foliage falls.

The Blueberry belongs to the Ericaceae family, mainly known in the garden for its numerous ornamental genera. In addition to the well-known Rhododendrons and Heather, there are also edible fruit Ericaceae: mainly the Strawberry Trees and the genus Vaccinium, which includes blueberries, cranberries, and lingonberries. The Vaccinium corymbosum, native to North America, is the bushy Blueberry that is cultivated in gardens for its abundant and high-quality fruiting. It is a very cold-resistant bush, with deciduous foliage that falls in autumn. It is grown in a very acidic soil (free of limestone), with a peaty and humic tendency, in a partially shaded position, for example in the morning sun.

The 'Blue Roma' Blueberry is an erect variety that reaches 1.50m (5ft) in height, with a width of 1m (3ft). It is adorned with numerous small white flowers in May-June, with the characteristic bell-shaped appearance of the Ericaceae due to their fused petals. They then develop into blue berries, ready to be harvested in August and excellent for their slightly acidic sweet taste and juicy flesh. Blueberries are low in calories but high in nutritional value: they are rich in vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, and iron. They can be consumed freshly picked, enjoyed as juice, jam, jelly, sorbet, or in pastries (pies, muffins). Blueberries can be stored for about ten days after picking and can be frozen for longer preservation. 'Blue Roma' is a self-fertile variety, but you will benefit from planting another specimen, as cross-pollination is very beneficial to the yield and quality of Blueberry fruits. The medium to dark green foliage consists of small elliptical leaves with pointed tips, which turn red in autumn, adding considerable ornamental appeal. 

The 'Blue Roma' Blueberry will delight small fruit enthusiasts. Both a fruit-bearing and ornamental plant, with its flowering and beautiful autumn colours, this shrub can be grown on a balcony or terrace to enjoy its fruits within reach, or be associated with other heathland plants in a garden bed. The border can then consist of creeping plants, such as the Andromeda polifolia 'Blue Ice', a dwarf shrub with fine bluish foliage and bell-shaped pink flowers in spring. The Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' will also be a good companion, with its fragrant pink late summer flowering and the yellow autumn colous of its foliage, which will create a beautiful scene alongside the reds of your blueberry.