Back to SoWal Lounge

Wild Blueberries?

Beach Crab
1,139 views
Hey All!

Are these the wild blueberries talked about in North Florida? The berries are more black in color with a light, seedy inside. The small leaves are from a ground cover and the large leaf is from a good sized bush/tree with scaley(?) bark. Could they be lowbush and highbush, or just young and old?

Thanks

Replies

15
30A Skunkape avatar
Skunky
#2
Bring some to the county extension agent for identification. It is never a good idea to eat something you can't identify!
Beach CrabAuthor
#3
Thanks- I was hoping they were blueberries, but after some research at the extension's website, well, they could be anything. I emailed them some pics to identify.
Jdarg avatar
SoWal Expert
#4
Thanks- I was hoping they were blueberries, but after some research at the extension's website, well, they could be anything. I emailed them some pics to identify.

Please post when you get an answer. We have these in our yard too, and my son thought they were some sort of blueberry too.
Kurt avatar
Admin
#5
The green leaf looks kind of like Pokeweed (poke salad Annie). Most of which is poisonous.

Put the berries out and if the birds don't eat them neither should you. If the birds or something else eats them find someone who knows what they are. WalCo IFAS extension will tell you.

We do have some great wild dewberries that grow along the sides of the roads and other open areas.
barefootguy avatar
Beach Fanatic
#6
There are a lot of wild blueberries around, and even some bushes planted as landscaping in some area communities, but they're not ripe yet. The dewberries are plentiful now, and the blueberries and black berries can be found ripe in June and July.

All that said, I wouldn't eat those berries until you find out what they are.

I checked on some blueberries today and they were big and green.

Edited

Beach Fanatic
#7
:D What do the dewberries look like? Can you bake them in a cobbler?
barefootguy avatar
Beach Fanatic
#8
Dewberries look like blackberries. Actually, they are blackberries that grow on a vine that crawls (a trailing cane) instead of the tall vines (canes) like blackberries, raspberries, etc. And they ripen earlier. It also looks like they're about done for this year. You can still find quite a few that birds and people haven't picked, but they're starting to get over-ripe.
Beach Fanatic
#9
:bow: Thanks barefootguy! I mighta ate one already thinkin' it was a blackberry. :scratch:
Beach CrabAuthor
#10
Well, I talked to the extension office after I emailed them pictures of the actual bushes and they thought the smaller, alternating leaf bushes were sparkleberrys and the larger leaf could be wild blueberry. The sparkleberry leaves were waxy, and the others weren't.

Then while walking late yesterday, I found 4 different berry bushes all with different leaf configurations, viens, waxiness, but with the same berry type. Can't be sure yet. The extension office did say that the blueberries may also be black.I'm wondering if they will be blue first so that it's obvious? I think I'll take some samples up to DeFuniak to see if they can tell more. They also didn't suggest to eat any of them, but that's probably a liability concern.

Been picking alot of dewberries the last couple of weeks, and they are on their way out and not much new growth. A little rain may help - not happening. At least it's good weather for the bikers.
meigsart avatar
Beach Lover
#11
Huckleberries...I have a bunch of bushes on my property. Look it up on the internet. There are good pictures of them. A couple years ago I was addicted to picking them, cooking and straining the seeds out,adding sugar, and a little cornstarch and making a sauce for cheesecake. Still have some in the freezer. Last year nothing. Thought it was rain related but this seems to be a good year. I do water them once and awhile.
meigsart avatar
Beach Lover
#12
Please make sure before you eat them!!!!:shock:
florida girl avatar
Beach Fanatic
#13
The green leaf looks kind of like Pokeweed (poke salad Annie). Most of which is poisonous.

Put the berries out and if the birds don't eat them neither should you. If the birds or something else eats them find someone who knows what they are. WalCo IFAS extension will tell you.

We do have some great wild dewberries that grow along the sides of the roads and other open areas.

Birds eat Gallberries, which are poisonous to horses and humans.
florida girl avatar
Beach Fanatic
#14
:D What do the dewberries look like? Can you bake them in a cobbler?

My daughter picked some Dewberries and we made a wonderfull cobbler! cup of self rising flour/baking mix, cup of sugar, cup of milk, a few pats of butter. Very tasty!
florida girl avatar
Beach Fanatic
#15
Hey All!

Are these the wild blueberries talked about in North Florida? The berries are more black in color with a light, seedy inside. The small leaves are from a ground cover and the large leaf is from a good sized bush/tree with scaley(?) bark. Could they be lowbush and highbush, or just young and old?

Thanks

Those look like blueberries to me! I've found numerous varieties where I live, even a miniture that's only about 12" tall. The berry to avoid is a Gallberry, similar, but a lighter color. Will give you a stomach ache. A good idea to get a fieldguide to identify some of these plants.
Beach Fanatic
#16
:razz: Thanks florida girl! I'll have to try it with the milk. I just got the same recipe but with 1/2 stick butter and no milk.
My daughter picked some Dewberries and we made a wonderfull cobbler! cup of self rising flour/baking mix, cup of sugar, cup of milk, a few pats of butter. Very tasty!

Checking your forum account

Please wait while we verify your forum account.