Vaccinium ashei 'Big Fruit'

The name tells the tale plain enough—‘Big Fruit’ is a rabbiteye blueberry bred for bounty. Where other varieties offer dainty handfuls, this Southern heir answers with clusters of plump, heavy berries that weigh down the canes come midsummer.

Like all rabbiteyes, ‘Big Fruit’ carries the legacy of the South in its roots. Hardy and vigorous, it thrives where the soil is sandy, the heat steady, and the seasons shift from wet spring to long, hot summer. Its berries—large, dusky blue, and sweet—are excellent for fresh eating, pies, or the jars of preserves that once lined every farmhouse pantry.

The shrub itself is sturdy and productive, with an upright habit that lends itself well to orchards and homesteads alike. While it will bear some fruit alone, it flourishes best when planted alongside a partner such as ‘Climax,’ ‘Brightwell,’ or ‘Powderblue,’ ensuring the cross-pollination that fills buckets and baskets.

Key Features & Benefits

• Produces exceptionally large rabbiteye blueberries

• Sweet, versatile fruit ideal for fresh eating, baking, or preserving

• Upright, vigorous growth with reliable yields

• Heat- and soil-tolerant, bred for Southern conditions

• Best fruit set with a pollination partner (e.g., ‘Climax,’ ‘Brightwell,’ or ‘Powderblue’)

To plant ‘Big Fruit’ is to court abundance—an old promise renewed with every summer harvest, when the canes bend heavy and the berries all but demand to be gathered.