Species Spotlight: Lowbush Blueberry
Besides being popular with wildlife, the ripe fruit of the Lowbush blueberry is much sought after by people. This popularity has a long history: in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Shawangunk Ridge residents picked blueberries to sell to distributors for seasonal cash to supplement their subsistence lifestyle. When encountering blueberries in the Shawangunks, please be mindful and do not over pick — many animals depend on the berries for food.
Looks like: This small shrub grows up to 20 inches tall and forms dense, low thickets. It has greenish bark and small oval leaves.
Grows in: Acidic soil in open deciduous woods, barrens, rock slabs, burned areas, and roadsides.
Niche: Bees and flies pollinate the flowers, while animals such as black bear, fox, coyote, chipmunks, raccoons, and songbirds dine on the fruit.
Threats: Maturing forest with closed canopy, which blocks out the light that lowbush blueberry needs to grow.
Frequency: Common
Reproduction: Blooms in late April with small, bell-shaped white or pink flowers. Berries ripen as early as June and in some years can still be found in October.
Fun facts: This is the earliest blooming and ripening of the nine blueberry species found on the Shawangunk Ridge, and can sometimes produce black fruit.
No one said science couldn’t be fun. Check out this report on the taste and morphology of Shawangunk Blueberries and Huckleberries by Preserve co-founder Daniel Smiley and Director of Research Emeritus Paul Huth.
