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Southern Living Plant Collection

Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry

5 Reviews
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$19.99
  • Produces flavorful berries with a nice firmness and impressive shelf life
  • Matures to 3-4' wide by 4-5' tall
  • Hardy in USDA Zones 7 - 9
  • Plant in full sun
  • Does not ship to CA or OR
Pot size

Description

The Takes the Cake® Rabbiteye Blueberry is a newly developed blueberry bush from the Southern Living Plant Collection! This selection produces flavorful berries with a nice firmness and impressive shelf life. Each berry is large and brightly colored, making them as attractive as they are delicious.

The Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry is of the species Vaccinium ashei 'Vernon,' and it has moderate chill requirements. Traditionally, 500-550 hours below 40 degrees to produce fruit.

Spring finds this Rabbiteye Blueberry covered in attractive and petite bell-shaped white flowers that will soon become berries. Furthermore, this is an early season bloomer and it generally blooms about a week and a half after the Climax Blueberry.

This deciduous shrub has a controlled, upright growth habit. So it matures to only 4-5' H x 3-4' W. For this reason, it makes a fantastic addition to decorative mixed garden beds as a functional and attractive accent.

Try it as a border plant, container planting, hedge, or mass planting!

Planting more than one variety of Rabbiteye Blueberry bush is crucial for getting large berry harvests. Pair the Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry with its companion, the Bless Your Heart Rabbiteye Blueberry.

*The Takes the Cake® Rabbiteye Blueberry is a deciduous/semi-evergreen plant and will go dormant during the winter months. When this plant is ordered during the Fall/Winter expect seasonal foliage decline(discoloration, spots, leaf drop) or the plant to arrive completely dormant.*

Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry Care

Hardy from USDA Zones 7-9, down to 0°F.

Requires Full Sun to grow and fruit properly.

Water 2-3 times per week during the growing season to help ensure that it establishes deep roots. Then, water 1-2 times per week during the second growing season. Afterward, provide supplemental water in times of extended drought and heat.

Prefers rich acidic soil with good drainage. The Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry will not do well in clay soil.

Fertilize with an organic acidic plant fertilizer in spring.

Care & Use

Getting Started: Understanding Your New Plant

Review your plant's information on our website or the tag that comes with it. Be mindful of sunlight preferences, soil type, and spacing needs.

Our plants are adaptable but grow best in the correct USDA Zones. Click here to learn more about your USDA Zone.

Planting Instructions

Dig a Hole

First, dig a hole three times the width of the root ball of your plant. This makes it easier for the root system to spread out quickly. Dig the hole deep enough that your plant will sit level with or slightly above the ground around it.

Amend Your Soil

Mix your native soil with rich gardening soil to provide extra nutrients and support plant growth. If your soil is clay-heavy, we recommend mixing your native clay soil with equal parts of Pine Bark mulch to improve drainage and the overall breathability of your soil.

Place Your Plant

Examine the roots. If they appear tightly bound, gently coax them apart; this ensures they can spread into the new soil. Place your plant in the hole so the top of the rootball is even with the surrounding soil—Backfill around it with the amended soil mixture. The roots need access to oxygen for your plant to thrive, so do not cover the rootball; place soil around it.

Mulch Your Plants

Top the soil beneath your plant with 3-4 inches of mulch to help it retain moisture. Be careful not to cover the rootball - your new plants roots need access to oxygen.

Water Your Plant

Soak the plant with a hose afterward to hydrate the plant, as well as get the soil and mulch situated. Develop a regular watering schedule based on your plant's needs and local weather patterns. Remember, over watering is just as, if not more, harmful than under watering.

Spacing Recommendations

Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry Spacing Recommendations

We recommend spacing your Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry bushes 4-5 feet apart or more to allow easy access for berry picking and sunlight access. However, feel free to plant them 3 feet apart for a seamless blueberry hedge.

  • Scientific Name
    Vaccinium ashei 'Vernon' PP18291
  • Hardiness Zone
    7, 8, 9
  • Sun Exposure
    Full Sun
  • Evergreen or Deciduous
    Deciduous
  • Features
    Attracts Birds / Butterflies, Sun Loving, Edible
  • Feature Color
    Blue, Green
  • Uses
    Accent, Container, Mass Planting
  • Water Needs
    Medium
  • Bloom Season
    Summer

Growing Zones : 7, 8, and 9

Map of USDA Zones 7-9
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2.5 Quart Takes the Cake Blueberry Plant with green foliage and young blueberry fruit in a brown southern living plant collection pot on a white background
Southern Living Plant Collection

Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry

From $19.99

The Takes the Cake® Rabbiteye Blueberry is a newly developed blueberry bush from the Southern Living Plant Collection! This selection produces flavorful berries with a nice firmness and impressive shelf life. Each berry is large and brightly colored, making them as attractive as they are delicious.

The Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry is of the species Vaccinium ashei 'Vernon,' and it has moderate chill requirements. Traditionally, 500-550 hours below 40 degrees to produce fruit.

Spring finds this Rabbiteye Blueberry covered in attractive and petite bell-shaped white flowers that will soon become berries. Furthermore, this is an early season bloomer and it generally blooms about a week and a half after the Climax Blueberry.

This deciduous shrub has a controlled, upright growth habit. So it matures to only 4-5' H x 3-4' W. For this reason, it makes a fantastic addition to decorative mixed garden beds as a functional and attractive accent.

Try it as a border plant, container planting, hedge, or mass planting!

Planting more than one variety of Rabbiteye Blueberry bush is crucial for getting large berry harvests. Pair the Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry with its companion, the Bless Your Heart Rabbiteye Blueberry.

*The Takes the Cake® Rabbiteye Blueberry is a deciduous/semi-evergreen plant and will go dormant during the winter months. When this plant is ordered during the Fall/Winter expect seasonal foliage decline(discoloration, spots, leaf drop) or the plant to arrive completely dormant.*

Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry Care

Hardy from USDA Zones 7-9, down to 0°F.

Requires Full Sun to grow and fruit properly.

Water 2-3 times per week during the growing season to help ensure that it establishes deep roots. Then, water 1-2 times per week during the second growing season. Afterward, provide supplemental water in times of extended drought and heat.

Prefers rich acidic soil with good drainage. The Takes the Cake Rabbiteye Blueberry will not do well in clay soil.

Fertilize with an organic acidic plant fertilizer in spring.

Pot size

  • 2.5 Quart
  • 2 Gallon
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    Direct from our nursery in Alabama

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