Description
Razz was bred in 1934 by Frederick Coville, the man who domesticated the blueberry in the first place. It then sat as a numbered USDA selection for about seventy-five years, because the berries were too soft to survive commercial shipping, and it was finally named and released in 2011.
What kept it in the collection that long is the flavor: a clear raspberry note running through a sweet, medium-sized, light blue blueberry. The softness that disqualified it from a truck is irrelevant in a garden, where the fruit travels from the bush to the bowl. The plant is vigorous and productive at about 5 to 6 ft and ripens midseason.
Overview
- A genuine raspberry note in a sweet, light blue blueberry.
- A 1934 Coville breeding held back for softness and released in 2011.
- Vigorous and productive, about 5 to 6 ft, midseason.
- Best eaten close to where it is picked.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Razz’
Site and Soil: Full sun; acidic, well drained soil, pH 4.5 to 5.5
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 4
Rootstock: Grown from cuttings or tissue culture
Bearing Age: Fruits right away; full production in 5 to 6 years
Size at Maturity: Vigorous, about 5 to 6 ft
Ripening Time: Mid season; July into August
Pollination: Self-fertile; a second blueberry variety improves size and yield
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: Eat these within a day or two of picking. The softness that kept it out of the trade for seventy-five years is exactly what makes the flavor.
- Regional Insight: Blueberries crop best where winters are cold enough to meet their chill and the soil is naturally acid, which covers most of the country once the planting hole is prepared properly.
- Explore more berries in our collection: Berries
