Highbush Blueberry 'Sweetheart'

$34.99
Title

The ‘Sweetheart’ Blueberry is a multi-seasonal showpiece. In spring, it is a delicate sight with graceful, bell-shaped white-to-pale-pink blossoms. As summer arrives, these give way to abundant, clustered gems of frosty powder-blue fruit against a backdrop of glossy, dark-green oval leaves. The transformation concludes in the autumn, when the foliage ignites into a brilliant, fiery crimson-red.

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Plant Details

Difficulty:

Easy

Zone:

4-8

Watering:

High

Years To Bear:

1–2

Plant Type:

Fruit Bush (Northern Highbush)

Light:

Full Sun/Partial Shade

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Sweetheart, Sweetheart Northern Highbush Blueberry, Everbearing Blueberry

Scientific Name:

Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Sweetheart’

Growth Details:

Mature Size: 5–6 feet tall and 3–4 feet wide.

Growth Habit/Form: Bushy, upright, and vigorous.

Growth Rate: Fast.

Longevity: Approximately 30 years with proper care.

Features:

Double Cropping: One of the rare varieties to fruit twice in one season.

High Yield: Mature plants can produce up to 15 pounds of berries per year.

Attracts: Bees, birds, and butterflies.

Uses: Fresh eating, desserts, freezing, and ornamental hedging.

Environmental Needs:

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil Preferences: Strictly requires acidic (pH 4.5–5.5), well-drained, and organically rich soil.

Soil Tolerance: Best in loamy, moist soil; intolerant of alkaline (high pH) conditions.

Watering: Consistent and high; thrives with regular deep watering and organic mulch to retain moisture.

Plant Care

Care:

Light: Best grown in full sun to partial shade (at least 6 hours of sun for best fruiting).

Moisture: Requires consistent moisture; do not allow soil to dry out completely.

Maintenance & Fertilization: Apply an acidic fertilizer (like those for azaleas or rhododendrons) in early spring. Prune in late winter, beginning in the third year after planting, to remove old wood.

Tips For Success:

Mulching: Use a thick layer of organic mulch (pine needles or bark) to maintain acidity and soil moisture.

Chill Hours: Requires 750–800 chill hours for optimal fruiting.

Bird Protection: Use netting as the fruit turns blue to safeguard your harvest.

Planting Considerations:

Best Time To Plant: Early spring or fall.

Spacing: 4–5 feet apart for hedges; 3–4 feet for individual bushes.

Location Tips: Choose a sheltered site to protect blooms; works beautifully in mixed shrub borders or large containers.

Fruit Profile

Size:

Medium to large

Colour:

Light to dusky powder-blue with a waxy bloom

Texture:

Extra firm with an excellent shelf life

Flavour:

Exceptionally sweet and juicy with a classic aromatic blueberry flavour

Harvest Time:

Two harvests: a heavy first crop in late June-early July, followed by a secondary lighter crop in late summer/early autumn in milder climates.

Pollination Requirements:

Self-fertile; however, cross-pollinating with another early-season variety like 'Duke' will significantly increase berry size and total yield.
Fruit Profile