Japanese Blueberry Tree (Elaeocarpus Decipiens)

The Japanese Blueberry Tree, also known as Green Emerald Blueberry, is an exotic, upright growing, evergreen tree popular in California landscapes. Native to Japan, this widely used hedging and topiary tree provides year-round color and interest. Part of its elegant beauty comes from the lush evergreen foliage. Bronze-colored leaves emerge in the spring, which eventually matures to a luxurious shiny dark green color. As the old growth falls, an attractive brilliant reddish-orange color shows itself in the dying leaves. This new growth contrasts beautifully with old growth.

Many will appreciate the low-maintenance features associated with Japanese Blueberry Trees. In fact, they require very little pruning to keep shape. they are heat tolerant and cold hardy, so you can expect eye-catching beauty all year long. Flowers bloom in the summer, with tiny, scented flower clusters attracting a variety of pollinators, butterflies, and birds. The flowers are a harbinger of the attractive but inedible bluish/black fruit that seems to resemble blueberries.

These slow-growing exotic beauties thrive in full sun and will require regular watering until it is established. Due to their slower growth rate, buy as big as you can for instant beauty or privacy in your landscape. They can be planted along a fence for use as a privacy hedge or screen. If grown into a larger tree, they can provide a moderate amount of shade.