The lowbush is not commercially planted, but thousands of acres of natural stands are pruned, sprayed and harvested. The highbush varieties, produced by breeding during the past half century, are now widely grown. The rabbiteye is increasing in importance in the Southeast. Plants of all are woody shrubs, varying from 2 to 3 feet in the lowbush to 10 or more feet in the highbush and rabbiteye, but in cultivation held to 5 to 6 feet by pruning. Fruit is smooth skinned with a waxy coating or bloom.
Individual berries are borne in clusters, are round to oblate in shape.
Fresh, frozen, canned, jam, culinary.