smooth highbush blueberry

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• highbush-blueberry
• highbush blueberry
• highbush huckleberry
• swamp blueberry
• tall blueberry
• Blueberry
• American blueberry
• New Jersey blueberry
• Smallflower blueberry
• Smooth Highbush Blueberry
• Southern blueberry

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Polycodium sericeum
• Vaccinium galiformis
• Vaccinium elongatum
• Vaccinium albiflorum
• Polycodium arcuatum
• Vaccinium sericeum f. chrysocarpon
• Polycodium sericeum f. chrysocarpon
• Vaccinium corymbosum f. albiflorum
• Vaccinium virgatum var. latifolium
• Vaccinium holophyllum
• Vaccinium corymbosum f. glabrum
• Vaccinium corymbosum f. laeve
• Vaccinium sericeum
• Vaccinium sericeum var. eburneum
• Vaccinium corymbosum f. leucococcum
• Vaccinium vicinum
• Vaccinium sericeum var. elongatum
• Vaccinium simulatum
• Vaccinium stamineum var. sericeum
• Vaccinium melanocarpum var. sericeum
• Vaccinium disocarpum
• Vaccinium corymbosum f. viride
• Vaccinium disomorphum
• Polycodium sericeum var. eburneum
• Vaccinium corymbosum var. albiflorum
• Vaccinium galezans
• Polycodium sericeum var. elongatum
• Vaccinium corymbosum var. atrocarpum
• Cyanococcus simulatus
• Vaccinium arcuatum
• Vaccinium corymbosum var. disocarpum
• Vaccinium cuthbertii
• Cyanococcus corymbosus
• Vaccinium constablaei
• Vaccinium corymbosum var. glabrum
• Cyanococcus cuthbertii
• Vaccinium corymbosum var. virgatum
• Cyanococcus holophyllus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Ericales, falling into the family Ericaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Vaccinium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is noted in both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward the central regions, the species can be found throughout Middle Europe. Specifically, it inhabits the landscapes of Czechia-Slovakia and Hungary. Finally, its range extends further into Middle Europe within the borders of Poland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Vaccinium corymbosum is characterized by its preference for lowland environments, where it thrives in specific soil and moisture regimes. It is typically found in acidic, well-drained soils, often colonizing heathlands, forest openings, and peatlands where organic matter is abundant. These lowland habitats provide the necessary nutrient-poor but high-moisture conditions required for its development. The plant plays a vital role in its ecosystem by providing nectar and fruit for various pollinators and avian species, while its growth patterns are heavily influenced by light availability and the structural complexity of the surrounding vegetation.

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Vaccinium corymbosum is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem across multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located on aerial stems well above the ground, a structural adaptation that defines its life form. The plant exhibits a deciduous growth pattern, shedding its foliage annually in response to seasonal changes.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Vaccinium corymbosum is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically classified as a shrub. It is a terrestrial, self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or an epiphyte, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, growing instead as an independent organism. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a mean height of 2.3 m, though it can achieve a maximum height of up to 4 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Plant height mean:

2.3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vaccinium corymbosum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing standard carbon fixation processes common to many woody perennials. The plant is strictly non-carnivorous, relying on soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey. Its leaf morphology is defined by a mean leaf size of 10.62 cm², with leaf width measurements remaining highly consistent, showing a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 0.5 cm. While the leaf length reaches a maximum of 0.8 cm, the overall leaf architecture contributes to a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 100.1 cm²/g, reflecting the plant's resource allocation strategy and leaf thickness relative to its surface area.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

0.8 cm

Leaf size mean:

10.62 cm²

Leaf width mean:

0.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

100.1 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vaccinium corymbosum is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent in this species. The flowering cycle typically begins in May and extends through July. The plant relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects as its primary pollinators to facilitate fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fruit classified as a berry, which is characterized by an indehiscent structure. These berries reach a mean fruit length of 1.5 cm. The dispersal of the plant's offspring follows a zoochorous strategy, specifically through endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed via the digestive tracts of animals. The resulting seeds are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.000409444333333333 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00032 g to a maximum of 0.00047 g.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length mean:

1.5 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.00047 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000409444333333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00032 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Vaccinium corymbosum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit.

Fruit

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Vaccinium corymbosum has 151 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Anthocyanins, ANTHOCYANIN, Flavonoid, Delphinidin, Hippuric acid.

Anthocyanins

1. Brain research
2. Molecular nutrition & food research
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

ANTHOCYANIN

1. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoid

1. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Frontiers in plant science

Delphinidin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in plant science

Hippuric acid

1. International journal of cardiology
2. Molecular nutrition & food research

Malvidin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in plant science

Proanthocyanidin

1. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Pterostilbene

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
2. Food & function

Vanillic acid 4-sulfate

1. International journal of cardiology
2. Molecular nutrition & food research

hydroxyhippuric acid

1. International journal of cardiology
2. Molecular nutrition & food research

Activities

Vaccinium corymbosum has 765 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antitumor, (-)-Chronotropic, (-)-Inotropic, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Neural regeneration research
3. Plant disease

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicines

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HETE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ABeta-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Vaccinium corymbosum has 21 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, oxidative stress, Cellulite, Neuroinflammation, age-related macular degeneration.

Inflammation

1. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
2. Biomedicines

Oxidative stress

1. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cellulite

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Neuroinflammation

1. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences

Age-related macular degeneration

1. Neural regeneration research

Antioxidant effects

1. Archives of microbiology

Apoptosis

1. Environmental toxicology and pharmacology

Cognitive decline

1. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences

Cognitive impairments

1. Drug and chemical toxicology

Delayed memory

1. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences