Where are blueberries distributed by origin? A detailed introduction to the main production areas
The blueberry is a blue berry, a perennial small-fruit shrub of the genus Vaccinium in the heath family (Ericaceae). Its place of origin is North America, and because the fruit is blue, it is called the blueberry. The fruit is rich in nutrients and has effects such as preventing brain nerve aging, protecting eyesight, strengthening the heart, fighting cancer, softening blood vessels, and enhancing the body's immunity. Now let us take a look at the origin and distribution of blueberries!
The origin and distribution of blueberries
Blueberries are distributed throughout the world, mainly in cool-climate regions with plenty of sunlight, such as Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Europe, North America, and the Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Jilin Changbai Mountain regions of mainland China, growing at altitudes of 900 m to 2,300 m, and are mostly seen in coniferous forests, peat bogs, mountain tundra, and pastureland; they are also an important component of heath shrubland.
In China, blueberry production areas are mainly in Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and other regions. In the Changbai Mountains and the Greater and Lesser Khingan ranges of Northeast China, many wild species resources of blueberry-type plants such as wild bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum, commonly known as dusi or dushi) and bilberry (Vaccinium) grow naturally.
The production environment of blueberries
Cultivated blueberries fall into three major categories: highbush blueberry, lowbush blueberry, and rabbiteye blueberry. Among these, highbush blueberry is further divided into three types: northern highbush blueberry, southern highbush blueberry, and half-high blueberry. Lowbush blueberry and half-high blueberry are suitable for planting in cold temperate regions, northern highbush blueberry and some half-high blueberries are suitable for planting in warm temperate regions, and rabbiteye blueberry and southern highbush blueberry are suitable for planting in subtropical regions.
Blueberry cultivation in China started relatively late and is mainly based on northern highbush, half-high, lowbush, and rabbiteye blueberries. The regions are scattered, and as of the spring of 2009 the planting area was roughly more than 20,000 mu, mainly distributed in Shandong, Jilin, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Guizhou, Yunnan, and other places, among which Shandong Province has the largest commercial planting area.
The development history of blueberries
1. Development history: Blueberry cultivation in China started relatively late and is mainly based on northern highbush, half-high, lowbush, and rabbiteye blueberries. The regions are scattered, and as of the spring of 2009 the planting area was roughly more than 20,000 mu, mainly distributed in Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Jiangsu, and other places. Among them, Liaoning Province has the largest commercial planting area.
2. Oceania: Blueberries were first introduced in 1950 without success; in 1970 seeds were introduced and varieties were screened; in the late 1970s nursery stock was introduced and cultivation began; by 1990 the area reached 1,700 hectares, mainly concentrated in the eastern coastal regions, chiefly highbush blueberry and rabbiteye blueberry. Among highbush blueberries, the main cultivated variety is “Bluecrop”, followed by “Spartan” and “Sharpblue”. On the basis of introduced varieties, Australia achieved great results in cross-breeding work and bred excellent varieties adapted to its own climate; these varieties gradually replaced the introduced varieties. In production, it uses its geographical position in the Southern Hemisphere to produce and supply fresh fruit during the Northern Hemisphere's winter, and the fresh fruit is exported to North America and Europe.