Vaccinium virgatum Aiton, Ericaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, Score: 2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Vaccinium amoenum Aiton; Vaccinium ashei J. M. Reade

Common name(s): [more details]

English: rabbit-eye blueberry, smallflower blueberry, southern black blueberry

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Shrub to 1 m (3 ft) tall, often found in large clonal colonies. Twigs slender, green to reddish-brown and pubescent, becoming brown or gray and glabrous. Leaves simple, alternate, elliptic to spatulate, apex acute to acuminate, base gradually narrowed or cuneate, margin sharply serrate, 3.2-5 cm (1.2-2 in) long and 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) wide, dull dark green above, lighter and more or less pubescent below, very short-petioled or sessile. Flowers clustered; corolla cylindric-urceolate, pinkish, 4-6 mm (1/6-1/4 in) long. Fruits black, berry-like, 6-8 mm (1/4-2/5 in) in diameter, many-seeded, poorly flavored"  (Oklahoma Biological Survey).

Habitat/ecology:  "Upland oak-hickory and oak-pine forests"  (Oklahoma Biological Survey).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Central and southeastern United States (GRIN).

Presence:

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Vaccinium virgatum, please let us know.