Blueberry - blueberry

Japanese: ブルーベリー - ぶるーべりー（英語表記）blueberry

A shrub of the genus Vaccinium in the Ericaceae family (APG classification: Ericaceae). Native to North America, there are more than twenty well-known species. All are used as small fruit trees. The main cultivated species are highbush blueberry V. corymbosum L. (chromosome number 2n = 4x = 48) common in the eastern United States, lowbush blueberry V. angustifolium Aiton ( 2n = 2x = 24) common in the northeast and Canada, Downy swamp blueberry V. atrococcum Heller common from the northeast to Canada, cranberry V. macrocarpon Aiton (both 2n = 2x = 24) common in the northeast, red-ripened cranberry, and rabbiteye V. ashei Reade ( 2n = 6x = 72) common in the southeast. These species generally have thick mesophyll, ovate to oblong-ovate leaves, 1 cm long at the entire edge, and are mostly deciduous. It produces clusters of small white bell-shaped flowers from April to May.

The fruits are spherical or oblate in shape, weighing 1 to 1.5 grams. They ripen from summer to autumn, turning dark blue-black, dark purple, deep shrimp brown, or red, and are covered with grayish-white powder. They are sweet and sour, and can be used in juice, tarts, pies, jams, candied foods, preserves, and canned goods.

[Muneo Iizuka May 21, 2021]

[Reference] | Cranberries

blueberry
©Shogakukan ">

blueberry

Blueberry Flowers
There are many cultivated varieties, most of which are deciduous and produce small white bell-shaped flowers in clusters from April to May. ©Shogakukan Photo by Hiroshi Okada

Blueberry Flowers

Blueberry fruit
It ripens from summer to autumn, turning dark blue-black or red, with a white powder on the surface of the fruit. It is used in juices, jams, sweets, etc. ©Shogakukan Photo by Masatoshi Hirose ">

Blueberry fruit

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ツツジ科（APG分類：ツツジ科）スノキ属の低木。北アメリカ原産で二十数種がよく知られる。いずれも小果樹として利用される。おもな栽培種はアメリカの東部に多いハイブッシュ・ブルーベリーV. corymbosum L.（染色体数2n＝4x＝48）、北東部とカナダに多いローブッシュ・ブルーベリーV. angustifolium Aiton（2n＝2x＝24）、北東部からカナダに多いダウニスワンプ・ブルーベリーV. atrococcum Heller、北東部に多く、果実が赤く熟すクランベリーcranberry／V. macrocarpon Aiton（いずれも2n＝2x＝24）や南東部に多いラビットアイV. ashei Reade（2n＝6x＝72）などである。これらは一般に葉肉は厚く、葉形は卵形から長卵形、全縁で長さ1センチメートル、多くは落葉性である。4～5月に白色の小鐘状花を房状につける。