On 5/22 & 5/23/20, two lucky small groups visited the Sebastian yard of Tom Brown, which we visited two years ago as a much larger, coronavirus concern-free group. Many of his plantings had grown substantially, and his blueberries were quite striking.
Darrow’s blueberry (Vaccinum darrowii) was thriving his yard. According to the FNPS website, this plant prefers moist conditions and acidic soil. Tom’s yard does not have an irrigation system and presumably this spot is original acidic flatwoods soil and not fill.
No, we did not sample the blueberries but instead left them for the wildlife to enjoy. If you have the right conditions, Darrow’s blueberry with its purplish new growth deserves a place in your yard.
