Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum x Vaccinium angustifolium) NORTHCOUNTRY

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum x angustifolium) 'Northcountry'

Extremely cold-hardy "Half-high" variety with the flavor of wild forest blueberries.

'Northcountry' is a specialized variety belonging to the half-high blueberry group. It was bred in the USA specifically for cold regions where standard highbush blueberries suffer from winter injury. It is characterized by a very low growth habit, which allows it to be perfectly protected by snow cover during winter. It is ideal for home gardens, and its greatest asset is its fruit – though smaller and softer, their sweet and delicate flavor closely mimics that of wild forest blueberries.

Key Highlights:

• Extreme winter hardiness: Bred for the coldest growing zones.
• Wild blueberry flavor: Sweet, delicate, and typically "wild".
• Early harvest: Ripens among the first varieties of the season.
• Compact growth: Ideal for smaller gardens (height only 50 cm / 20 inches).
• Almost completely self-fertile.

Origin and Registration

• Origin: USA (University of Minnesota). Released in 1986.
• Genetics: Interspecific hybrid between Northern Highbush (V. corymbosum) and Lowbush (V. angustifolium) blueberries.

Variety Characteristics

Bush

• Growth: Low, heavily branched.
• Height: Reaches only about 50 cm in height and around 100 cm in width.
• Flowering: Blooms very early (often before other varieties).

Fruit

• Size: Smaller berries (average weight 0.8 g).
• Color and Quality: Light blue due to a heavy waxy bloom. Fruits are softer compared to standard highbush varieties.
• Flavor: Excellent, reminiscent of wild berries.
• Usage: Great for fresh eating, excellent in pies, for jams, and other home processing.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost: Thanks to its low stature and genetics, it exhibits top-tier winter hardiness.
• Spacing: For home cultivation, a distance of 1 to 1.3 m between plants is recommended.

Cultivation Recommendations

• Pollination: It is self-fertile and produces well even without the presence of another variety.
• Harvest (Limitations): Due to its low and dense growth, it is not suitable for mechanical harvesting. Hand picking is somewhat more labor-intensive. Soft fruits do not handle long-distance transport well.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Early variety. Harvest usually begins a few days before 'Bluecrop' and lasts 2 to 4 weeks.