Once-productive berry fields are being invaded by conifers. Since plants beneath a forest canopy generally produce few berries, fruit production has been steadily declining in many areas. Sprouts from the stem base or rhizomes after aboveground foliage is removed or damaged by fire. Some seed may be transported to burned sites by birds and mammals. Appears to be well adapted to a regime of fairly frequent fires.
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.