The quintessential blueberry, Bluecrop’s attractive sky-blue hue and giant size have eye-catching appeal. When fully ripe, Bluecrop has the classic, sweet blueberry flavor.

Bluecrop is a favorite breed for commercial farmers. The berries grow large and turn a beautiful light blue well before it ripens and sweetens late August or September. When unripe, the berries lack acidity and are mild with a hint of blueberry flavor. The unripe, yet visually enticing berries are also much harder and can withstand mechanical harvesting and long-term shipping conditions without spoiling. Bluecrop continues to dominate the commercial market and is the consummate blueberry that most people think of without realizing the fruit isn’t at its optimum sweetness.

A deeper dive into the history of Bluecrop:

An old farmer once told me, “People want their fruit giant and their vegetables miniature.” Bluecrop is an example of the desire for large fruit. In 1925, the blueberry cultivar “GM37” was selected by east coast breeders for its giant, but tasteless berries. It might have stopped there, but in the 1920s, breeders still strived for flavor. In 1934, they crossed “GM37” with “CU5,” which had very flavorful, but regular-sized berries. Breeders were seeking the best of both parents and produced Bluecrop, a short leggy plant with very large berries. Bluecrop was selected in 1941 and became commercially available in 1952.

The end of World War II spurred the drive for mass produced food that could be harvested by machine and shipped across the country. The coincidental commercial release of this cultivar was the genesis for Bluecrop quickly rising to the top to become the stereotypical grocery store blueberry.