What are the Best Blueberries to Grow in Rhode Island?
Finding the best blueberry bushes to grow in Rhode Island was not as easy as I thought. Some require extensive care, others are prone to pests, and lots are just not simple & quick enough to grow.
That’s why I created a list of the 10 Best Blueberries to Grow in Rhode Island!
This ultimate guide will give you the best blueberries to grow, why you should grow them, and even how to grow them.
- Related: BEST Fruit Trees to Grow
Read THIS Before Growing Blueberries in Rhode Island
Knowing what hardiness zone Rhode Island is in is critical to understanding the best blueberries that can be grown.
It can be the difference between your blueberries thriving and providing a bountiful yield or producing nothing and maybe even dying.
Rhode Island is mostly considered Hardiness Zone 5, while some of the lower-level regions are Hardiness Zone 6.
10 Best Blueberry Bushes to Grow in Rhode Island
#1. Legacy Blueberry
Why Grow Legacy Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Fast-Grower:
- Legacy Blueberries are some of the best blueberry bushes to grow in Rhode Island and for beginners! What separates this bush from others is how fast of a grower it is! Expect berries in your first or even second year!
Large Yield:
- The Legacy Blueberry bush is a great producer of blueberries! Expect more blueberries than you can eat throughout summer!
Perfect for ANY Yard:
- What makes the Legacy Blueberry Bush a great plant to grow in Rhode Island is that it can be grown in any yard. Just plant it in a well-draining, full sun part of your yard and watch this bush grow!
#2. Bluecrop Blueberry
Why Grow Bluecrop Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Perfect Blueberry:
- The bluecrop blueberry is the most widely planted blueberry bush in all of Rhode Island and the United States. It produces a large, sweet blueberry that makes it perfect for eating raw, cooking, and freezing.
Large Harvest:
- With the bluecrop blueberry bush you can expect a large harvest. Best of all is that it will provide you with this type of harvest throughout the entire summer and into early fall.
Disease Resistant:
- The biggest reason fruit growers plant bluecrop blueberries is biggest it is resistant to diseases. This makes it the perfect blueberry bush for Rhode Island and beginner blueberry growers!
#3. Blueray Blueberry
Why Grow Blueray Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Large Berries:
- If you want large blueberries then look no further than the blueray blueberry. This blueberry bush yields some of the largest blueberries in Rhode Island!
Beautiful Blooms:
- If you want a blueberry bush that will add color to your yard in the spring then blueray blueberries are perfect. This bush will produce a beautiful white flower that then turns into pretty pink blooms.
Mid-Season Grower:
- While most blueberry bushes will yield a late summer to early fall harvest, the blueray blueberry is the perfect mid-season (early summer) harvest to complement your other berry plants.
#4. Jersey Blueberry
Why Grow Jersey Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Forgiving:
- The Jersey Blueberry Bush is the favorite among Rhode Island fruit growers. The main reason for this is that it is the most forgiving. You can forget to water it, overwater it, plant it in the wrong spot, and do so much worse and it will come back every year.
Sweet Blueberries:
- Some blueberries on this list are tart and others are semi-sweet. But if you want one of the sweetest blueberries then grow the Jersey Blueberry.
Perfect For Small Spots:
- The Jersey Blueberry bush is also the perfect fruit plant for any planting area. Due to its medium size you can plant it in a garden, in your yard, in a raised garden bed, or even next to your house!
#5. Pink Lemonade Blueberry
Why Grow Pink Lemonade Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Pink Blueberry:
- If you want a unique blueberry then plant the pink lemonade blueberry bush! It is the only blueberry that is actually pink and has a sweet flavor you’ll love.
Beautiful Bloom:
- If you want to add beautiful spring and early summer colors to your yard then plant a pink lemonade blueberry. This blueberry will have lovely shades of white and light pink as flowers grow and bloom!
Easy to Grow:
- Pink Lemonade Blueberry bushes are also incredibly easy to grow. Plant them in a well-draining part of your yard that gets full sun and provides a little fertilizer and watch your plant grow!
#6. Elliot Blueberry
Why Grow Elliot Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Late Bloomer:
- If you are looking for a blueberry bush that bears fruit late into the year then look no further than the Elliot Blueberry! This is the perfect complement to early and mid-summer producers.
Tart Fruit:
- If you love tart berries then look no further than Elliot Blueberries. This blueberry is one of the tartest on this list!
Large Harvest:
- If you are looking for a blueberry bush that provides a large harvest then plant an Elliot. This bush will grow to 5 feet tall and provide you with more blueberries than you know what to do with.
#7. Berkeley Blueberry
Why Grow Berkeley Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Large Yield
- The Berkeley Blueberry Plant is another bush that produces a large yield. This beautiful bush is perfect for anyone who wants to have blueberries fresh or frozen all summer long.
Hardy:
- What makes the Berkely Blueberry bush a star is that it is hardy. It is low-maintenance, can survive heat and cold, and is disease and pest-resistant, making it the perfect blueberry for beginners.
Quick Growing:
- The Berkely Blueberry Bush is also perfect for beginners because of how fast it grows. Depending on where, when, and how you plant this bush, you may even get blueberries your first year!
#8. Duke Blueberry
Why Grow Duke Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Cold Hardy:
- The Duke Blueberry Bush may be the cold-hardiest blueberry on this list. If you want blueberries well into late fall then this is the perfect berry for you!
Perfect for Vertical Gardens:
- If you want a blueberry bush for small areas or vertical gardens then look no further than the Duke Blueberry. This bush grows upright, is vigorous in producing berries, and does not need to be protected in the winter!
#9. Patriot Blueberry
Why Grow Patriot Blueberry in Rhode Island?
Beautiful Blooms:
- Patriot Blueberries are another type of bush that produces beautiful blooms with amazing fragrances throughout late spring and sometimes even early summer! Expect lovely white blooms that all your neighbors will be jealous of!
Large Berries:
- The Patriot Blueberry has large, dark blueberries that will the envy of other blueberry growers. The Patriot blueberry bears the largest berry on this list!
Beautiful Bush:
- Blueberry bushes aren’t the prettiest plant you’ll have. But some of them can be beautiful. Patriot Blueberry bushes have dark green leaves that turn into crimson and red colors in the fall.
#10. Bluejay Blueberry
Why Grow Bluejay Blueberries in Rhode Island?
Beautiful Blooms:
- Bluejay Blueberries may have the best blooms out of all the blueberries on the list. Expect white flowers that turn into pretty pink before it begins bearing fruit.
Low-Maitenance:
- The Bluejay Blueberry is a great beginner bush due to its low-maintenance, cold and disease hardiness, and ability to survive almost any condition.
Common Growing Factors of Rhode Island’s Best Fruit Trees
As a reminder, the below factors are common for the Best Fruit Trees to Grow in Rhode Island:
- Thrives in Heat & Drought
- Disease and Pest Resistant
- Can Grow Anywhere in your yard
- Bears Lots of Berries
- Require little maintenance
