Xtremehorticulture

Japanese Blueberry in Las Vegas Landscapes

Q. A local tree guide does not recommend planting Japanese blueberry because of “environmental challenges”. We had one at our old house and it was fine. It is the right size and shape for a spot we are considering. Young Japanese blueberry. It does not like the heat and isolation in Las Vegas landscapes. It prefers to be on the north or east sides of a home and surrounded by other plants that need water. The burlap bags on their head is to prevent them from getting sun damage. A. It gets pretty big over time. There are some things that favor it and some things that are not in favor of it. Let’s explore. Water use. In the desert this should be a concern with any plant we are thinking about. The fewer but important plants the better. It is mesic in its water use. It should be watered at the same time as other mesic plants. Try not to water xeric plants at the same time as mesic plants. Xeric (or desert) plants are watered less often than mesic (nondesert) plants. That is one of the reasons xeric plants use less water. Size. It’s slow growing but gets about the same size as European olive; 35×35. East side. It doesn’t like afternoon sun. Too hot for it on the South and West sides. Likes the east side with afternoon shade and surrounded by other plants that need watering. That and its mature size are probably the reasons it is not liked much. It is a low water using plant/shrub but not xeric. If you have the room for it and can afford the water then plant it. Put it on a water valve for mesic plants. Recommended plants for the Phoenix area.

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Japanese Blueberry With Orange Leaves a Sign of Leaf Death

Q. My water accidently turned off for two weeks and my Japanese Blueberries are all orange. I do see new growth on the edge of the branches. Is the tree shedding old leaves? Did the cold snap in November cause this? Orange leaves on Japanese blueberry as they are dying and falling off. A. The orange color is the color of the natural pigments in the leaf as the leaf dies, its green chlorophyll disappears and leaves behind these orange or reddish pigments. These colors are typical of anthocyanins and related biochemicals. It is hard to say “after the fact” on something like this. All you can really say is that the leaves have died and will fall off. Now the question is whether “the death” went further than this or not. So you would normally take hold of the branches with dying leaves and bend them. If they are supple and the leaves drop then it was a recent “trauma” to the plant and you cannot be sure yet if the death is going further or not until you see new growth. You can be pre-emptive and cut these branches back and force new growth or wait, your call. The fact you are seeing new growth is very positive. You realize that Japanese blueberry is not the best choice for a carefree landscape in Las Vegas. It is best planted in a part of the yard protected from late afternoon sun and it will definitely not do well in a rock landscape.

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