Top 10 Must-Have Tropical Plants for Queensland Gardens
Blueberry Gulf Coast
Blueberry 'Gulf Coast'
Description: Blueberry 'Gulf Coast' is a popular southern highbush variety known for its early ripening and high fruit quality. This vigorous shrub produces an abundance of large, sweet, and flavorful blueberries. It features attractive, glossy green foliage that adds aesthetic value to gardens and landscapes.
Flowers: The flowers of Blueberry 'Gulf Coast' are small, bell-shaped, and white to pale pink. They appear in clusters in early spring, providing a delicate ornamental display before the berries set.
Foliage: The foliage consists of glossy, dark green leaves that are oval-shaped and smooth. In the fall, the leaves may turn shades of red and orange, adding seasonal interest.
Fruit: Blueberry 'Gulf Coast' produces large, plump blueberries that are deep blue with a sweet, slightly tangy flavor. The fruit ripens early, typically from late spring to early summer, making it one of the first blueberries to harvest each season.
Form and Size: This shrub grows to a height and spread of 1.2-1.5 meters (4-5 feet). It has an upright, bushy growth habit, making it suitable for garden beds, borders, and large containers.
Growing Conditions:
- Light: Prefers full sun to partial shade. Full sun is ideal for the best fruit production.
- Soil: Requires well-draining, acidic soil (pH 4.5-5.5). Enrich the soil with organic matter such as peat moss or compost.
- Water: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the growing season. Blueberries have shallow roots and benefit from mulching to retain moisture.
- Temperature: Thrives in warm, southern climates. Hardy in USDA zones 7-9.
- Humidity: Prefers moderate to high humidity, which is typical of its native Gulf Coast environment.
Uses: Blueberry 'Gulf Coast' is grown primarily for its fruit, which is high in antioxidants and vitamins. The berries are perfect for fresh eating, baking, jams, and preserves. The plant also serves as an attractive ornamental shrub in gardens and landscapes.
Maintenance: This plant requires regular maintenance to ensure healthy growth and optimal fruit production. Prune annually to remove dead or weak branches and to shape the shrub. Apply a balanced, acid-loving plant fertilizer in early spring. Mulch around the base to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
Notes: Blueberries are self-pollinating but benefit from cross-pollination with another variety for increased yield. Protect the ripening fruit from birds with netting or other deterrents. Non-toxic and safe to grow around pets and children.
Companion Plants: Blueberry 'Gulf Coast' pairs well with other acid-loving plants that have similar growing requirements, such as:
- Rhododendrons
- Azaleas
- Camellias
- Heathers
Common Name: Gulf Coast
Botanical Name: Vaccinium corymbosum 'Gulf Coast'
Family: Ericaceae
Origin: Hybrid, developed in cultivation
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Delivery Options
- We Offer a local Sunshine Coast delivery service in our Truck.
- Orders placed before Tuesday 9.00am will be Delivered on Wednesday and or Friday of that week on the Sunshine Coast.
- For more information on Deliveries outside the Sunshine Coast please click here
Product Availability
Plants & Pots come and go all year around.
- Plants are seasonal and sometimes we run out but have more batches coming along.
- Some Plants are not always in-store however we can either order it in or deliver it to your door. pending availability
- Available numbers change every hour of the day in store and where we grow so please check in with us on how many you are looking for
- we have access to thousands of plants. if you are looking for a specific plant please let us know and we will see if its coming into store soon or if we can order it for you.
- we will sometimes keep plants on our website to show you the description of how it grows and its specific characteristics. they may not be in stock all the time however we will keep it up online so when it comes in we wont have to reload products
- the above information is exactly the same for Pots. they come and go all year around so please send us a message via the chat button and we will get back to you with availability
Where are our plants Grown and how do we grow them
- Plants are grown locally on the Sunshine Coast
- All outdoor plants are sun hardened and ready to grow
- Indoor plants are grown under 50% Shade and will transfer perfectly to indoor use
- Orchids are also grown under 50% Shade and are best brought indoors during flowering for show then returned back into a shaded area until the following flowering time
- we are Qualified horticulturists, greenkeeper as well as Qualified landscape Construction with over 35 years experience in the industry. We use Quality products and materials to grow all our plants.
- Visit us instore and get the right advice the first time to make your plants succeed
How to Look after your plants like we do
- When using any Garden Care products or Fertilisers we always recommend reading the label before use
- We recommend using Earthlife crushed rock mineral on all plants when planting in the ground or in Pots.
- When planting in Pots in Our garden centre we use Rocky Point potting mixes to plant all our plants
- If planting in the ground we also recommend that you use Rocky Point garden soil around your plants at the time of planting