Flower profile
Shiny blueberry
Vaccinium myrsinites
Shiny blueberry is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in January–March.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Florida
Quick look
Vaccinium myrsinites is a North American species of flowering plant in the heath family known by the common name shiny blueberry.
- It belongs to the Ericaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–March. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 4,511 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #47 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
Shiny blueberry gift ideas
Handmade shiny blueberry gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
-
Placeholder
Shiny blueberry art print
-
Placeholder
Shiny blueberry greeting card
-
Placeholder
Shiny blueberry mug
-
Placeholder
Shiny blueberry earrings
-
Placeholder
Shiny blueberry embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Shiny blueberry sticker
When does it bloom?
In Florida, most flowering sightings come in January–March.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Florida
- Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S5, secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: SC (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “The fruits are edible both raw and cooked.” NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records shiny blueberry in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina.
Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile VAMY3.
- iNaturalist, Vaccinium myrsinites: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Vaccinium myrsinites (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
- Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Vaccinium myrsinites (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Alex Abair via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.