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Ground blueberry usually grows in open places, from wet to dry
sites. It commonly grows in prairies, pine forests, and at the
edges of bogs or bays. It also occurs in mixed forests, on disturbed
dunes, and in unplanted fields. Ground blueberry sprouts readily
after a fire and is found in four states in the southeast: Alabama,
Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Mammals such as black bears, raccoons, foxes, skunks, chipmunks, mice, and squirrels feed on the fruit of ground blueberry. Many |
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species of birds eat the berries. White-tailed deer consume the
fruit and leaves. The plant provides cover for a variety of small
birds and mammals. The berries are sweet and they are commonly
eaten by people. Many berries in the Vaccinium genus were
important traditional foods of Native American tribes. Today
they are eaten fresh, in jams, in pies, and in muffins. Elliot blueberry (Vaccinium elliottii) is similar but has leaves ½" to 1" long, achieves a height of 3' to 9', and is deciduous. |
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