Flower profile

Lowbush blueberry

Vaccinium angustifolium

Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is a shrub in the Ericaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native to New Hampshire

Lowbush blueberry is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

22states where USDA records it

454NH sightings*

6,813U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: New Hampshire

Quick look

Vaccinium angustifolium, commonly known as the wild lowbush blueberry and the low sweet berry is a species of blueberry native to eastern and central Canada, Great Lakes and the northeastern United States.
From Wikipedia's article Vaccinium angustifolium, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Ericaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 22 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to New Hampshire. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as early summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 454 research-grade sightings of it in New Hampshire, ranking #81 among the 157 flowers on our New Hampshire list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in New Hampshire (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (47 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
New Hampshire: Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. ^{NH Ncr 312}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (SH), IA (S1), NC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Highly edible berries are enjoyed fresh, cooked or frozen.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records lowbush blueberry in 22 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

New Hampshire counties with USDA records: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Lowbush blueberry a high shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.7 to 7.5 and winter lows down to -33 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: Medium
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 4.7 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -33 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 100
Annual precipitation range: 32 to 50 inches
Minimum root depth: 16 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Medium
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Blue · Summer to Summer
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for VAAN. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native; St. Pierre and Miquelon: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Vaccinium brittonii, Vaccinium lamarckii, Vaccinium nigrum.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 427 counties across 17 states; the most are in Michigan (73), Pennsylvania (63), Wisconsin (56).

Other Vaccinium on Bloomipedia (10): Sparkleberry, Lingonberry, Large cranberry, Bog bilberry, Shiny blueberry, Grouse whortleberry, Thinleaf huckleberry, 'ohelo 'ai, Mayberry, ʻōhelo kau lāʻau.

More from the Ericaceae family (55 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Ghost pipe, Rhododendrons and azaleas, Striped wintergreen, Mountain laurel, Eastern teaberry (wintergreen), Salal, Woodland pinedrops, Pinesap.

More New Hampshire flowers

Ghost pipe

Monotropa uniflora

Native

🌼 Blooms in NH: July–August

Eastern teaberry (wintergreen)

Gaultheria procumbens

Native

🌼 Blooms in NH: July–August

Sheep laurel

Kalmia angustifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms in NH: June–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile VAAN.
iNaturalist, Vaccinium angustifolium: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Vaccinium angustifolium (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
New Hampshire: New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020).
New Hampshire: NH Prohibited Invasive Species List (Agr 3800, Table 3800.1).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Vaccinium angustifolium (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Michael Nerrie via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.