The Blueberry: A North American Native

The blueberry is an indigenous North American species with deep roots in our history. By the time the Europeans arrived, our native inhabitants were already enjoying blueberries year round through clever preservation techniques. They were dried in the sun, then added whole to soups, stews and meat; or crushed into a powder and rubbed into meat as a preservative. As the legend goes, Native Americans gave blueberries to the pilgrims, helping them make it through their first winter.

Native Americans revered blueberries and much folklore developed around them. The blossom end of each berry, the calyx, forms the shape of a perfect five-pointed star; the elders of the tribe would tell of how the Great Spirit sent "star berries" to relieve the children's hunger during a famine. Blueberries were also used for medicinal purposes along with the leaves and roots.

A favorite dish of the Native American during colonial times was Sautauthig (pronounced sawi—taw—teeg), a simple pudding made with blueberries, cracked corn (or samp) and water. Later, the settlers added milk, butter and sugar when they were available. The Pilgrims loved Sautauthig and many historians believe that it was part of the first Thanksgiving feast.

Blueberries (actually bilberries—a close cousin) also have a place in the annals of European folk medicine. Their roots were brewed into a tea believed to help relax women during childbirth and bilberry syrup was thought to be a cure for coughs. Another health legend is the association between bilberries and good eyesight.

The Cultivated Highbush Blueberry

Efforts in the early 1900’s by Dr. Frederick Coville and Elizabeth White of Whitesbog, New Jersey, to domesticate the wild highbush blueberry resulted in today’s cultivated blueberry industry. They identified plants with desirable properties growing wild in the forests of the Northeast and from these samples, selected several cuts and began crossbreeding the bushes, created new varieties. In 1916, Whitesbog produced the first commercial crop of blueberries. Coville and White’s initial breeding work and ongoing research by plant breeders have resulted in many juicy, sweet and easy to pick cultivars that can be grown today in a variety of climates. Visit www.whitesbog.com to learn more about early efforts to cultivate blueberries.