Grow Vaccinium corymbosum 'Duke' (Highbush Blueberry 'Duke') for early-season harvests and classic blueberry flavor in your edible landscape. You will get an upright, multi-stemmed shrub with small spring flowers, clusters of blue berries, and showy red-toned fall color that adds seasonal interest even when the fruit is finished.
Plant it in full sun to part shade for best performance. Keep the root zone evenly moist, especially during establishment and while fruit is sizing up, but avoid waterlogged sites. Blueberries prefer acidic, organic-rich soil, so amend with pine bark fines, peat substitutes labeled for acid-loving plants, or leaf mold as needed, and mulch to keep shallow roots cool and moist.
At maturity, 'Duke' typically reaches about 60-72 inches tall with a similar spread, so give it room for air flow and easy picking. For the most reliable yields, grow more than one compatible blueberry cultivar nearby so pollinators can improve fruit set. Bees and other pollinators are attracted to the spring bloom, and birds may also notice the berries as they ripen.
Prune during dormancy to renew older canes and encourage vigorous new growth. Remove weak, crossing, or crowded stems to keep the shrub open, productive, and easier to manage year after year.