Vaccinium cylindraceum
Family: Ericaceae
What it is like
An almost evergreen shrub. It grows 1-4 m tall. It is large and upright. The leaves are bright green and glossy. They are sword shaped and have fine teeth. Some leaves turn yellow and remain on the bush for a longer time while other leaves turn red then fall. The flowers are in long clusters that hang down. They grow on one year old stems. The flowers are 1.25 cm long and narrow. They are yellow-green and tinged with red. The fruit are blue-black berries. They are edible.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It can tolerate drought and grow in neutral soil. The soils need to be well drained. In the Azores it grows between 350-1,550 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Azores, Europe, Mediterranean, Portugal
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from cuttings.