Vaccinium corymbosum Reka- Organic American Blueberry

This Organic American Blueberry Reka, known as Vaccinium corymbosum,  is an early New Zealand variety, appreciated for its large blue-violet berries that contain sweet and juicy flesh with a subtle aroma. They often appear in tight clusters. The cultivated Blueberry is a bush that thrives in partial shade or non-scorching sunlight and requires acidic and moist soil, free from limestone. It is best planted in autumn but can be planted throughout the year, excluding freezing conditions. This Reka variety is harvested in July.

AB-certified plant from organic farming. 

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

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

- the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), native to North America, extremely cold-resistant, cultivated in gardens. It produces larger and more numerous fruits and can reach a height of 1.50 m.  

The cultivated Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is a deciduous bush that is very hardy, forming a dense erect bush, reaching a height of 1.50 m (5ft) with a spread of 80 cm (32in). The leaves are 2 to 3 cm (1in) long, lanceolate, elliptical, entire and toothed, medium green, turning bright orange in autumn before falling. Flowering occurs in early May, in the form of small white bell-shaped flowers with slightly reddish edges, 0.5 to 1 cm (0in) long, clustered in pendulous clusters 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) long at the end of the stems. This is followed by large blue-violet berries, covered in bloom, slightly flattened and 1 cm (0in) in diameter.

They ripen in summer, with the first harvest appearing from the 2^nd year of cultivation. On the same plant, the harvest will be staggered depending on the ripeness of the fruits. Blueberries are firm and sweet, with a pleasantly tart flavour. Blueberries are low in calories but highly nutritious: they are rich in vitamins A, B, and C, as well as calcium and iron. They can be eaten 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.

To ensure good pollination and fruiting, it is advisable 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 blend in perfectly in ericaceous beds, alongside rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, heathers...