Blueberry Duke

A northern highbush blueberry cultivar, Vaccinium corymbosum Duke is a vigorous, deciduous shrub, growing up to 6’6”/2m, and with a rather upright habit, although the weight of fruit sometimes makes the branches droop. This blueberry is a heavy, reliable cropper. The medium-to-large, pale blue berries are firm, keeping longer in the fridge than most blueberries, and have a good, sweet flavour; they ripen over a long period. In spring, the bush is covered with little white urn-shaped flowers, very attractive to pollinators, and in autumn the small, elliptical, deep green leaves turn red and yellow, giving three seasons of visual interest. Blueberry Duke flowers late but ripens early, making it a good choice for colder areas. Blueberries must have really acid soil, but can also be grown in large pots in soil-based ericaceous compost. Blueberry Duke holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Light, moist, well-drained, acid soil
Position: Best in full sun; tolerates partial shade
Pick: From midsummer, over several weeks
Keep: Will keep a few days in the fridge, longer than most blueberries
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Pollination: Partially self-fertile, but crops better with a different blueberry cultivar
Uses: Eating fresh, cooking, preserving, freezing