By Enmanuel Vasquez, FruitTree Direct. Updated October 2026.
Quick answer
Pick a blueberry bush by your winter. In cold-winter areas, zones 4 to 7, buy northern highbush Bluecrop and Chandler, ideally together. For milder winters, especially zone 6 and warmer up to zone 8, Pink Lemonade adds real pink berries. In warm-winter areas and for pots, zones 5 to 10, buy Sunshine Blue, which needs only about 150 chill hours. Every blueberry needs acidic soil, pH 4.5 to 5.5.
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The four blueberry bushes compared
| Bluecrop | Chandler | Pink Lemonade | Sunshine Blue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Northern highbush | Northern highbush | Pink-fruited | Southern highbush, semi-dwarf |
| USDA zones | 4 to 7 | 4 to 7 | 4 to 8 (best zone 6 and milder) | 5 to 10 |
| Chill hours (estimate) | About 800 to 1,000 | About 900 | About 300 to 500 | About 150 |
| Mature size | 4 to 6 ft | 5 to 7 ft | Vigorous, upright bush | 3 to 4 ft |
| Known for | Heavy, reliable crops, classic flavor | Exceptionally large berries over 4 to 6 weeks | Real pink berries, sweet and mild, ornamental | Warm climates and containers |
| Harvest | Mid-season, typically July | Mid to late season | Mid to late summer | Varies by climate |
| What you receive | 1-liter pot, 10 to 14 in | 1-liter pot, 10 to 14 in | 1-gallon pot | 1-liter pot, 10 to 14 in |
| Price | From $44.95 | From $44.95 | From $59.95 | From $44.95 |
Northern vs southern highbush: what is the difference?
The big difference is chill hours, the cold hours a bush needs each winter to bloom and fruit well. Northern highbush blueberries like Bluecrop and Chandler need a lot of chill, roughly 800 to 1,000 hours, and are very cold hardy. Southern highbush blueberries like Sunshine Blue need far less, about 150 hours, so they fruit where winters are mild. Buying the wrong type for your winter is the most common reason a healthy blueberry bush never produces much.
Which blueberry bush should you buy?
Zones 4 and 5: Bluecrop and Chandler
Bluecrop is the standard northern highbush: productive, cold hardy and dependable. Chandler is famous for exceptionally large berries and a long picking window of about 4 to 6 weeks. Both are self fertile, but planted together they cross-pollinate for bigger crops and stagger your harvest.
Zones 6 and 7: your widest choice
Bluecrop and Chandler still do well here. Pink Lemonade is best in zone 6 and milder, and its pink berries, spring flowers and reddish fall color make it as much an ornamental as a fruit bush.
Zone 8: Pink Lemonade or Sunshine Blue
Northern highbush types often do not get enough chill in zone 8. Pink Lemonade, rated to zone 8 with about 300 to 500 chill hours, or Sunshine Blue are the safer picks.
Zones 9 and 10: Sunshine Blue
Sunshine Blue is the blueberry for warm climates. It needs only about 150 chill hours, is self fertile, and stays compact at 3 to 4 ft. If you garden in Texas, see our San Antonio fruit tree guide.
Best blueberry bush for a pot
Sunshine Blue is the top container pick: compact, self fertile and low chill. A pot also solves the biggest blueberry problem, soil pH, because you can fill it with an acidic (ericaceous) mix even if your garden soil is alkaline.
Do you need two blueberry bushes?
No. All four varieties here are self fertile, so one bush can fruit on its own. A second variety that blooms at the same time usually gives bigger crops and larger berries, which is why Bluecrop and Chandler are often planted together.
How soon will a blueberry bush fruit?
Our bushes arrive as young plants. Expect light crops at first: Bluecrop typically bears increasing crops from about the third year, and Chandler reaches full production around the fourth season. Pinching off flowers for the first season or two helps build a stronger bush.
Before you buy: shipping restrictions
Blueberries are regulated in some states. Bluecrop, Chandler and Sunshine Blue do not ship to AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT or WA. Pink Lemonade does not ship to AK or HI. Shipping is a flat $14.95 per order and free on orders of $149 or more.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best blueberry bush to buy?
It depends on your winter. Bluecrop and Chandler are best for cold zones 4 to 7, Pink Lemonade for milder zones up to 8, and Sunshine Blue for warm zones 8 to 10 and for containers.
What is the best blueberry for warm climates?
Sunshine Blue, a southern highbush blueberry that needs only about 150 chill hours and is rated for zones 5 to 10.
What is the best blueberry for containers?
Sunshine Blue. It stays 3 to 4 ft tall, is self fertile, and a pot lets you use acidic potting mix regardless of your garden soil.
Do blueberry bushes need acidic soil?
Yes. Blueberries need acidic soil with a pH of about 4.5 to 5.5. In alkaline soil, grow them in containers or amend the planting area.
Which blueberry has the biggest berries?
Chandler is known for producing exceptionally large blueberries, over a long harvest of around 4 to 6 weeks.
The bottom line
- Cold winters: Bluecrop + Chandler.
- Mild winters and edible landscaping: Pink Lemonade.
- Warm winters and pots: Sunshine Blue.
Browse every variety in our blueberry plant collection.