Patriot Blueberry Plant

Patriot Blueberry was introduced in 1976 — the year America celebrated its 200th birthday — and named in recognition of the U.S. Bicentennial. Developed jointly by the USDA and the University of Maine specifically for cold-hardy performance in the Northeast, it remains nearly 50 years later one of the most dependable early-season blueberries a home grower can plant. Large berries, disease-resistant to Phytophthora root rot, clay and moisture-retentive soil tolerant, beautiful from spring bloom through fall color, and self-pollinating across Zones 3–7.

Named for America’s Bicentennial — 1976 and Still a Top Performer

The naming story is part of what makes Patriot genuinely distinctive in the blueberry world — introduced in the year of America’s 200th birthday by the USDA and University of Maine as a deliberate tribute, and performing well enough in the nearly 50 years since to remain one of the most consistently recommended early-season highbush blueberries available. That longevity in the catalog reflects consistent performance, not nostalgia.

Large Berries, Early Season — Outstanding Yields at Maturity

Patriot produces some of the largest berries of any early-season blueberry — firm, lightly sweet, and clean-picking with a small dry recessed scar. Berries ripen in June ahead of most varieties, outstanding fresh off the bush or in pies, jams, preserves, and the freezer. Consistent yields of 10–20 pounds at maturity make it a reliable producer season after season.

Built for the North — Clay Tolerant and Root Rot Resistant

Partial lowbush parentage gives Patriot exceptional cold hardiness, a manageable 3–5 foot open-spreading habit, and qualities that distinguish it from most highbush blueberries. It’s one of the few blueberry varieties that tolerates clay and moisture-retentive soils — and its proven resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi, the soil fungus responsible for root rot, supports healthy, productive plants in the wet-soil conditions that devastate less resistant varieties.

Why Growers Choose Patriot Blueberry

• Named for America’s Bicentennial — introduced 1976 — still a top early-season performer after 50 years
• Large firm berries ripening in June — among the biggest of any early-season blueberry
• Yields 10–20 pounds at maturity — consistent and generous annual production
• Tolerates clay and wet soils — resistant to Phytophthora root rot
• Cold hardy in Zones 3–7 — reliable in the toughest northern growing conditions
• Self-pollinating — productive with just one plant, even more with a companion