Rabbiteye Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Brightwell) is often considered nature's little blue gem for its bright color, sweet flavor, and numerous health benefits. Native to the southeastern United States, these berries have become a favorite among fruit lovers not only because of their delicious taste, but also because of their versatility and nutritional value.
Origin and characteristics:
Southern Roots: Rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum) are native to the southeastern United States and thrive in warm climates such as Georgia, North Carolina, and Mississippi.
Unique appearance: This berry is named for the appearance of its ripe fruit, which is said to resemble a rabbit's eyes. They are usually small and round, and are grey-blue to purple when fully mature.
Hardy Shrub: Rabbiteye blueberries grow on hardy, deciduous shrubs that can reach a height of 15 feet. These shrubs are known for their ornamental value, especially in the fall when their leaves turn red and orange.
Flavor profile:
Sweet yet tart: Rabbiteye blueberries are prized for their sweet yet slightly tart flavor. The balance between sweetness and acidity makes it a great addition to a variety of culinary creations.
Rich Aroma: When you bite into a handful of rabbiteye blueberries, you'll experience a burst of rich aroma that adds to the sensory pleasure of eating these berries.
Culinary variety:
Eat Fresh: Rabbiteye blueberries are a delightful snack when eaten fresh. Their bite-sized nature and sweet flavor make them the perfect on-the-go treat.
Baking Glow: A baking favorite, these berries bring a sweet and tangy flavor to muffins, pies, pancakes and other baked goods.
Smoothies and Breakfast Bowls: Rabbiteye blueberries add color and nutrition to smoothies, yogurt bowls and breakfast parfaits.
Nutritional value:
Antioxidant powerhouse: Blueberries in general are known for their high antioxidant content, which may contribute to a variety of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties.
Vitamins and Minerals: Rabbiteye blueberries are a good source of vitamins C and K and manganese. These nutrients play an important role in supporting overall health.
Dietary fiber: Berries provide dietary fiber, which aids digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness.
Rabbiteye Blueberry Varieties
Brightwell
The bushes are vigorous, erect, productive and have large fruits. Tastes good, scars well, but has a gritty texture and tough skin. Premier's fruit comes weeks earlier than Tifblue's. Excellent shrub shape.
VELLUTO BLUE®
The newest variety in the Rabbiteye group. A just-released variety, from New Zealand, where it's been a real success. Like all Rabbiteye, it is very sturdy and durable; gets very upright bearing and grows quickly. Its fruit quality is excellent, similar to Centra blue, but Velluto has a higher yield, similar to Centra blue, making it one of the most productive rabbiteye varieties. Pollinators are recommended.
Centurion
Beautifully shaped bush with moderate vigor, medium yields, good flavor and good berry display. The fruit is not as tough as some rabbiteyes, but tends to be a bit darker in color.
CENTRA BLUE®
If you want to extend your harvest period into mid-autumn, this variety is the best choice for you. Centra blue is the latest variety to be harvested, and depending on the climate zone, the blueberry harvest can even last until December. It is a very high yielding rabbiteye with medium/large fruit size, good quality and slightly dark blue color. The harvest period is from mid-August to November, and Centra blue can be harvested one month later than other varieties such as Overtime or Titan. Pollinators are recommended. Derived from a cross between the Raha and Centurion breeds. Additionally, this variety is a perfect complement to pink blueberry plants, increasing the number of pollinated flowers and thus increasing harvest yields.
Powderblue
The plant is tough, with moderate vigor, and the fruits are small to medium, light blue. The appearance is very similar to Tifblue, but the fruits are smaller.
SKY BLUE®
A very late variety of the Rabbiteye group that can be harvested after the aurora. It has medium vigor and this variety requires heavy pruning during the first year. Sky-blue blueberries are delicate, large, high-quality, light blue, and crispy. The harvest period is from August to the end of September. Pollinators are recommended.
OCHLOCHONEE
This variety was very successful ten years ago due to its good harvests. However, its lower quality and smaller fruit size have currently relegated it to a secondary role, which is why its commercial interest has declined.
Premier
The shrub has moderate vigor. Nice tasting, sweet, medium to large fruit. Excellent fruit color and fruit scar.
Tifblue
Released in the United States in 1955. Still widely grown and accepted as the benchmark for all rabbiteye varieties. Bushy, upright growth with medium to large, light blue fruits.
OVERTIME®
Varieties from the Fall Creek Genetics® genetic program, originally selected as pollinators. This is a late harvest variety. But it does not have a long harvest period like Centra blue. The blueberries produced by Sky Blue are excellent in taste and light blue in color.
T102
The bushes are vibrant and spreading. The fruit is large, firm and delicious. The berries are black, somewhat flat, and have large calyxes. May split after heavy rain. Tifblue matures in about a week. The yield is very heavy.
TITAN™ 'T-959'
A more or less recent breed, from the genetics program at the University of Georgia. It is notable for its large fruit, probably one of the largest in the Rabbiteye class. These plants cannot self-fertilize, so pollinators must be used. It has moderate cold hardiness, which limits its use in certain climates.
Developed and written by Adrián García Villar, agricultural engineer at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM). College No. 215, Official College of Agricultural Engineers of the Principality of Asturias (COIASTUR).
Harvest season:
Vaccinium ashei Reade is a genus of blueberry native to the southeastern United States, specifically California, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida.
They are considered "highbush" blueberries and can easily exceed 2 meters in height, with stems even up to 4 or 5 meters long. Due to their origin, they are more tolerant to drought. However, they are more sensitive to moisture, so plastic crops are recommended.
Rabbiteye blueberry varieties are more tolerant of soils with higher pH and lower organic matter content, and their crop yields are generally higher than those of other genera. Additionally, they produce very hard fruits due to their thick skin. They have good size and better post-harvest preservation.
Rabbiteye blueberries can be grown in a very wide range of climate zones. In the case of Spain, these varieties can be grown both in Asturias in the north and in Huelva in the south. In addition, the latest varieties, such as Cerulean Blue, Velluto Blue or Centra Blue, allow for as long a harvest time as possible.
The market season for rabbiteye blueberries is usually in the summer. When it comes to harvesting, rabbiteye blueberries are characterized by a long harvesting period, which is usually 8 to 12 weeks depending on the climate region. Its flowering period is long, up to 90 to 120 days. Rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium ashei) are of good quality, high hardness, suitable size, and have a very long post-harvest storage period. Maybe they're not the sweetest blueberries, but rabbiteye blueberries easily top 12 degrees brix and taste pretty good. On the other hand, rain can tear its skin or lose its characteristic purple color, hence the importance of covering the plant with a plastic tunnel, especially in areas with rainy summer and autumn conditions, such as northern Spain.
in conclusion:
Rabbiteye blueberries not only stand out for their delicious taste, but also for their adaptability, making them a versatile ingredient in a variety of cooking. Whether enjoyed fresh, baked into pies, or blended into nutritious smoothies, these little blue gems bring joy to taste buds and the table. With its health benefits and culinary appeal, the rabbiteye blueberry remains a prized fruit that captivates the taste buds of those lucky enough to experience its seasonal bounty.
