Old clones decline in vigor, but periodic fires initiate vigorous sprouting and regrowth. Fire is a particularly common influence in northern boreal forests where velvetleaf blueberry grows as an understory dominant or codominant. White-tailed deer and eastern cottontail browse the leaves and twigs. White-tailed deer, black bear, red fox, porcupine, raccoon, mice, chipmunks, squirrels, and skunks feed on the fruit. In parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the reproductive success of black bears is reduced in years of Vaccinium crop failure.
Blueberries are an extremely important food source for bears.
In many areas, bear-human conflicts are most likely to occur during years of Vaccinium berry crop failure. Bears typically exploit areas with dense concentrations of berries. Large numbers of recreationists seek out and harvest these berries throughout the Great Lakes Region. Berries are rich in vitamin C, carbohydrates, and energy content but low in fats. Velvetleaf blueberry grows with Late Low Blueberry in commercial blueberry fields of the Northeast.