A common lowbush blueberry of xeric sites in the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont. To tell it from other lowbush blueberries, look for red stipitate glands on the undersides of the leaves and glossy black berries. The twigs are densely pubescent and the leaves are green beneath.

The similar Vaccinium pallidum (Early Lowbush Blueberry), which is more common in the Mountains and Piedmont, has glaucous (whitish) leaf undersides, lacks the red stipitate glands, and has glabrous (smooth) twigs. Gaylussacia dumosa (Dwarf Huckleberry) is also very similar.

Harnett Co., NC 8/18/05.

Other common names include Southern Blueberry and Small Cluster Blueberry.

Harnett Co., NC 8/18/05.