Azores blueberry (uva-da-serra)

Vaccinium cylindraceum

Found only on the Azores: red tubular flowers, then dark berries in late summer, picked on the hills for jam.

Type: shrub · berries and small fruit
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 8 ft tall, 5 ft wide
Harvest: August to September
From: Azores
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, pollinators, wildlife.

Native to: Atlantic islands (Macaronesia). Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Uva-da-serra, the mountain grape, is a blueberry found nowhere else on Earth, growing among the junipers and heather of the Azorean hills. Families pick the berries in late summer for jam and liqueur, and the red, tube-shaped flowers feed the islands' insects and birds.

Planting

Full sun or light shade in acid soil, rich in organic matter and always moist. Volcanic ground suits it well; in other gardens add pine needles or leaf mould. Plant two or more for a better crop.

Growing

Mulch with bark or pine needles and water with rain water if your tap water is hard. Prune out old, tired stems after a few years to keep new wood coming.

Harvest and use

Berries ripen from August to September. Eat them fresh, or cook into jam. They are tarter than garden blueberries.

What to watch for

Yellow leaves mean the soil is not acid enough. Birds love the berries; net them if you want any.

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More berries and small fruit

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home