Pink Icing Blueberry

Pink Icing Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum 'Pink Icing') is the blueberry made for pots. It forms a dense, rounded shrub of 90cm to 1.2m in both height and spread, and plants will usually fruit by their second year with large, dark, sweet berries. Its leaves change colour through the year, from pink-peach in spring to deep green in summer and teal green in winter, so it earns its place before the fruit even ripens.

Why you'll love it

• Bred for pots. The compact habit tops out at around 1.2m, which suits patios, balconies and courtyards.
• Large, sweet berries. Abundant, large, dark fruit with a good sweet flavour, ready from early summer.
• Colour through the year. Pink-peach new growth in spring, deep green in summer, teal green in winter and good autumn colour, plus pale pink bell flowers.
• Fruits young. Plants will usually crop at two years old, so the wait for the first berries is short.
• Frost hardy. Pink Icing is frost hardy and fruits in humidity and heat, as long as it gets its winter chill.

Where it works best

Pots, patios and balconies. Grow one plant per pot of 40cm or wider, filled with acidic potting mix, in a sunny spot. A pot lets you control the soil and keep it acidic, which is exactly what blueberries like.

Small garden beds. Plant 1m apart in the ground as a compact feature shrub or in an edible border, where the changing foliage colour can be seen from the house.

Informal low hedge. Set plants 90cm apart for a low fruiting hedge of around 1m, with berries in early summer and a tidy rounded shape.

Growing Pink Icing Blueberry in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, out of strong wind. It needs 450 to 500 chill hours below 5C, about 18 to 21 days in total, to set fruit, so it suits warm temperate and cool temperate gardens. In the warmest frost free gardens a low chill rabbiteye such as Brightwell or Powder Blue is the safer pick. In cool climates Pink Icing is deciduous.

Soil. Free draining, acid soil with composted manure dug through before planting. Where the garden soil is alkaline, grow it in a container of acidic potting mix instead.

Water and feed. Mulch deeply after planting to keep the shallow roots cool and moist, and water regularly through spring and summer. A potted plant dries out fast, so check it daily in hot weather. Plant it alongside other blueberries for the best fruiting.

Pruning. Prune in mid winter, removing weak and crossing stems and keeping the centre open. Use organic eco-oil if unwanted pests appear.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Pink Icing Blueberry as tube stock: a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly and, once potted on, will usually fruit by its second year. Move it into a larger pot of acidic mix or plant it into prepared, well-drained soil.

The tube is grown for us by our grower and is not always available. Should it read sold out, use the notify button on this page and an email will reach you the day it is available again.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Blueberry care guide
• Plants for pots and containers
• Edible plants for the home garden
• Plants that change colour through the year

Common questions

How big does it get in a pot?

About 90cm to 1.2m high and wide, so a pot of 40cm or larger suits it well. Move it to a bigger container if the roots fill the pot.

How many chill hours does it need?

Pink Icing wants 450 to 500 hours below 5C, which adds up to about 18 to 21 days in total. Many warm temperate and cool temperate gardens meet that easily, while the warmest coastal gardens may not.

Will it fruit with only one plant?

It will crop better with company. Plant it alongside other blueberries to improve the harvest.