Vascular Plants of North Carolina

Account for Blue Ridge Blueberry - Vaccinium altomontanum Ashe

Section 6 » Family Ericaceae

Author	Ashe
Distribution	Strictly in the Mountains, and essentially only in the higher elevations, though the exact distribution is rather poorly known. This taxon was described as new in 1931, but lumped under V. pallidum ever since. However, Weakley (2018) and other authors have recently split out. See Taxonomic Comments. This is a southern Appalachian endemic, limited to a rather small (but tight) area from western VA south to northwestern SC, and northern GA. It also occurs in eastern TN.
Abundance	Apparently locally uncommon; not well studied. After more thorough study, might not be scarce in the state, as suitable habitat appears to be rather common. It is not designated as a Watch List species by NCNHP, though perhaps it should, until more information is gathered. Based on Weakley (2020), the editors suggest a Global Rank of G4?; NatureServe does not consider this taxon as valid.
Habitat	This species occurs mainly on exposed ridges and summits, such as shrub balds and the margins of grass balds and outcrops, over acidic soils. It also occurs on ridge crests and acidic side slopes of forests, but seems to grow primarily in full or partial sun.
Phenology	Blooms in May and June, after the leaves have emerged and are mostly fully grown. Fruits from July to September.
Identification	This deciduous shrub looks quite like V. pallidum in that the leaves are quite glaucous (pale and slightly blue-green). However, this species grows somewhat taller, averaging about 3 feet tall instead of 1-2 feet for V. pallidum; also, it grows in denser stands, frequently with interweaving branches and excluding other woody growth. Though V. pallidum often grows in extensive stands, individual shrubs seldom grow close enough to form dense stands. The leaves are somewhat thicker than those of V. pallidum, as well (Weakley 2018). Also, this species seems to favor sites in full sun, whereas V. pallidum characteristically dominates the low shrub zone inside dry/xeric forests. This shrub may not be that scarce in NC, and perhaps is locally common on some mountaintops, but as it is a recent split, few biologists are likely familiar with it, as yet.
Taxonomic Comments	Though the name Vaccinium altomontanum was used many decades ago, the entity has almost always been subsumed within the widespread V. pallidum until recently, when some references (such as Weakley 2018) have split it off from V. pallidum. V. altomontanum may represent a hybrid species – it is a tetraploid and not diploid. Whatever the case, it is a fairly distinctive, densely growing blueberry of high elevation exposed rocky places and is clearly not simply “just a form of V. pallidum”. The main issue hindering its proper taxonomic placement is that the type specimen is apparently lost (pers. comm. Peter Fritsch).
Other Common Name(s)	None (?) as yet
State Rank	S3?
Global Rank	GNR [G4?]
State Status
US Status
USACE-agcp
USACE-emp

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