Blueberries growing in the wild

© Baac3nes/Getty Image

A dose of antioxidants. Blueberries growing in the wild

Indulge in the sweet, tangy flavours of blueberries! They belong to the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium, which also includes cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries and Madeira blueberries. Both wild (lowbush) and cultivated (highbush) commercial blueberries are native to North America, with highbush varieties introduced to Europe in the 1930s. Typically, blueberries are prostrate shrubs varying in height from 10 centimetres to 4 metres. In commercial blueberry production, the species with small, pea-sized berries on low bushes are referred to as 'lowbush blueberries' or 'wild blueberries,' while those with larger berries on taller, cultivated bushes are known as 'highbush blueberries.' Canada is the leading producer of lowbush blueberries, and the United States accounts for about 40% of the world's highbush blueberry supply.