Product Of Australia
- Firm, blue, slightly acid berry.
- 75-150mm in diameter frosted.
- Dusted look called the ‘bloom’.
The blueberry is a shrub varying from 0.5 to 7.5m in height and may be deciduous or evergreen. It is a shallow rooted plant. Flowers are an attractive white or pink colour and can be bell-shaped or tubular.
Fruits form in clusters of five to ten berries. The berries ripen sixty to ninety days after full bloom. Mature berries change colour from green to red to blue.
Beautiful when served as part of a fruit or cheese platter or cooked in compote, blueberry pie or summer pudding.
Blueberries need to be grown in a climate with cool winters. The best-flavoured berries are produced where the summer nights are cool and days are warm and sunny. Late frosts will damage the young growth and flowers.
Blueberries are native North American fruits and are commonly found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Today blueberries are being grown in Australia and New Zealand.
Health Benefits
A good source of vitamins A and C, containing some phosphorus, calcium, potassium and iron.
100g of Blueberries yields the following:
- Calories – 57
- Total Carbs – 5% of DV
- Protein – 0.74g
- Dietary Fibre – 10% of DV
- Vitamin A – 1% of DV
- Vitamin C – 16% of DV
- Calcium – 1% of DV
- Iron – 2% of DV
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Selecting tips
- Select plump fruit with good colour and fresh bloom.
- Always check the base of the punnet for juice leakage or mould.
Storage tips
- Keep dry and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
- Use as soon as possible as blueberries are very perishable.