Family: Ericaceae

Form: Small evergreen shrub, commonly 1 to 2.5 feet tall and equally as wide

Leaves: Numerous small, simple, alternate, elliptic, shiny, and glabrous. Margins are entire to serrulate and can be pink tinged, especially on the new leaves which are one half the size of older leaves. Leaves measure ½ cm wide by 1 cm long

Stem/Bark: New growth is green, round, slightly pubescent, older growth becomes woody

Flower: White campanulate flowers with fused petals are enclosed by pink calyxes. Multiple flowers are produced both along the stems and in terminal clusters. Flowers are bisexual with 8 to 10 stamens and one pistil

Fruit: Shiny, glabrous round berries start green, turning red, then blue, then black. Calyx often persists on fruit. Berries are about ½ cm. and edible

Comments: Multiple unrelated plants should be grown together for fruit production. There are a total of 6 native Vaccinium species in Florida. V.darowii is a similar species but has dull leaves and white waxy fruit