More names for this plant
Anishinaabemowin: Miin
Dakota: Haza
The Dakota and Anishinaabe were among the earliest people to name Minnesota’s plants and animals, as well as to understand them in relation to Minnesota’s climate and seasons. Those original names are still in use, and several are included on the Season Watch website.
Latin (or scientific name): Vaccinium angustifolium
The scientific community has a convention of assigning agreed-upon Latin names to every kind of organism. Using scientific names helps people communicate confidently about the same organism and organize lifeforms based on how closely related they are.
More common names: Blueberry, sweet lowbush blueberry
Page contents
August 8, 2017, Lake County, Minnesota
Photo © lkitrell, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
iNaturalist observation
About the lowbush blueberry
- The lowbush blueberry is a short, perennial shrub growing only a couple feet tall.
- In late spring to early summer, its small white flowers bloom. It produces blueberries later in the summer.
- During fall, their elliptical shaped leaves turn bright red.
- Lowbush blueberries grow in very acidic soils throughout the northeast half of Minnesota.
- Fun fact: Lowbush blueberries are the state fruit of Maine.
Visual guide to phenology
Watch for the appearance of leaves, flowers, and fruits. Take notice of when flowers open and fruits ripen.
Note to observers
This page explains general clues to watch for when observing lowbush blueberry phenology. However, this page does not instruct observers on how to identify this plant or collect data in a standardized way.
- For help with identification, see Minnesota Wildflowers.
- For guidance on collecting data, see Nature’s Notebook.
Keep exploring Season Watch
Keep exploring Season Watch
Co-author: Lynsey Nass, Minnesota Master Naturalist