rabbiteye blueberries from poplarville, mississippi

When I lived in Chicago, which was 25 years, I was awfully spoiled. I had access to some of the world’s finest restaurants and food. If I wanted the best blueberries and cherries, however, the Mitten (Michigan) was it. Yes, parts of Michigan are a solid five hours’ drive from Chicago. But the Mitten is a special place. If it wasn’t so darn cold, I would seriously relocate there. Traverse City up near the Yoop (Upper Peninsula or U.P.), heaven. Ann Arbor, fantastic. And on. But I digress.As a Mississippian, I’ve seen billboards promoting Mississippi blueberries and, if I’m being honest, I was kind of skeptical. Are the blueberries here going to be as good as the ones I could get in Michigan? I gave these a spin yesterday evening and they didn’t last long. POOF. Gone. The berries were plump and really flavorful, so I had to do some research.Turns out there are two varieties of blueberries that thrive in Miss Missy: Rabbiteye and Highbush. And then within these blueberry camps, there are further varieties. Rabbiteye varieties include names like Tifblue, Centurion, and Brightwell. Highbush varieties include names like Georgia Gem, Bladen, Reveille, and Jubilee.Mississippi State University Extension has a cool page dedicated to describing each variety, which you can take in here. You’re welcome.