Vaccinium elliottii

Taxobox
name = "Vaccinium elliottii"

---

image_width = 240px
image_caption = Plant in flower
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Ericales
familia = Ericaceae
genus = "Vaccinium"
species = "V. elliotti"
binomial = "Vaccinium elliottii"
binomial_authority = Chapm.

"Vaccinum elliottii" (Elliott's Blueberry) is a species of "Vaccinium" in the blueberry group ("Vaccinium" sect. "Cyanococcus"). It is native to the southeastern United States, from southeastern Virginia south to Florida, and west to Arkansas and Texas.

It is a deciduous shrub 2-4 m tall, with small, simple ovoid-acute leaves 15-30 mm long with a finely serrated margin. The flowers are pale pink, bell-shaped, 6-8 mm long, opening in the early spring before the new leaves appear. The fruit is an edible berry 5-8 mm diameter, blue-black, only rarely with a whitish waxy bloom; they ripen from late spring (in Florida) through summer.

Cultivation and uses

It produces a particularly large yield of somewhat sour berries. It is popular for late-season fruit.

References

* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?41011 Germplasm Resources Information Network: "Vaccinium elliottii"]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VAEL USDA Plants Profile: "Vaccinium elliottii"]