Blueberry

Mountain Laurels Bloom

Mountain laurels finally bloom

Mountain laurel flowers open up and it happens around late may to early june. They come in both pink and white. The flowers die off quickly by July.

Newly bloomed pink mountain laurels Warm early summer white mountain laurel cluster Pink mountain laurel bush during late May White mountain laurels on velvety leaves

Mountain laurels have velvety leaves and the plant itself can sometimes reach 15 feet tall.

Blueberry

Late spring partially ripe highbush blueberry

Some of the most common berry bushes in the New Jersey pinelands and pine barrens are the highbush and lowbush blueberry plants. They are found in both the drier upland forests and the wetlands where there are many large swamps and canals.

Dwarf huckleberry
Blueberry about to bloom during May

Some blueberries will end their dormancy during late April to early May. During late spring, many of them will flower, bloom, and begin to grow their berries. The photo shows a lowbush berry plant with buds that are about to complete their berry production. Although it is almost fully bloomed, the lowbushes only grow a handful of berries for each cluster. Both lowbush, and highbushes prefer to grow in sandy, acidic soil.

Lowbush Blueberries

Lowbush blueberry before berry release
Lowbush blueberries before berry release

Lowbush blueberry plants are much smaller and less bushy. They have less branches and come in a much smaller quantity of berries per cluster. Many of them are found within the wetlands and cedar forests.

Late spring highbush blueberries
Early June unripe highbush blueberry

Highbush Blueberries

The highbush blueberry bushes produce much larger clusters of berries and come with a larger and bushier plant. Many of them are found at the edge of, and within the forests that border large swamps and ponds.

Blueberry early flower
Lowbush blueberry early flower in May
Lowbush blueberry at beginning of bloom
Lowbush blueberry at beginning of bloom
Pre-blueberry formation
Pre-blueberry formation in early June
Highbush blueberry just released its berries
Highbush blueberries fully grown but unripe
Lowbush blueberry bush in late dormancy
Lowbush blueberry plant in late dormancy
Sun shines through newly bloomed blueberries
Sun shines through newly bloomed blueberries
Fully bloomed highbush blueberry
Fully bloomed highbush blueberry
Pre-developed blueberries
Pre-developed blueberries in early June
Lowbush blueberries late spring
Lowbush blueberries during late spring
Unripe late spring blueberries
Unripe late spring blueberries