Early Season Northern Highbush
Reka Blueberry is one of the heaviest Northern Highbush producers, as well as one of the hardiest. The berries are very early ripening. The bush produces a prolific number of the medium-to-large size delicious fruits.
The Reka's fruit ripens over a longer period than most other Blueberry varieties, so you can get up to four pickings off of a seasons harvest! The heavy yields are sure to impress you, but the flavor will be the true surprise. The Reka Blueberry produces a tremendously flavorful berry with a sweet-acid balance. This gives you a richly flavored berry with a firm and satisfying, crisp-textured skin.
The long clusters of sumptuous berries are tough enough to endure the stress of wind and rain, as well as the picking process. They even hold their flavor well in storage.
Not to be outdone by the quality of its harvest, Reka Blueberry is also an exceptional bush with ornamental features for your landscape. White bell-shaped flowers with a delicate pink hue make a wonderful display in the spring. In fall, the leaves turn burgundy-red. This is very striking against its reddish wood and really adds to the landscape appeal.
Reka is a vigorous and fast-growing plant. As with other Northern Highbush, the Reka makes a great hedge or screen plant and should be planted with Mid-Season and Late Season varieties of Northern Highbush Blueberries to increase harvest. Careful planning will also extend the joy of picking your home-grown Blueberries for up to 2 months.
Reka is adaptive to a variety of climates and soils, and even tolerates light frost while in leaf. It also demonstrates fair tolerance to heat and drought but prefers a humid climate to do well. Very few pests or diseases bother the Reka. It's easy to see why this is one of the most sought-after Blueberry bushes.
- Hardy & Prolific!
- Adaptive To A Variety Of Soils & Climates
- Good Self-Fertility
- Tolerance To Heat, Drought & Humidity
Buying Options for Plants
Nature Hills sells a large variety of plants with several options available. Plants are offered in both potted containers and as dormant bare root without soil. Here is a helpful resource to understand your options as you create a beautiful landscape with help from Nature Hills.
Ever wonder what a larger plant will mean for your landscape? Container Sizes are really all about the age of the plant!
Seasonally, Nature Hills offers hand selected, high quality bare root trees, shrubs and perennials. Bare root plants are sold by height from the top of the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may be taller than the height minimums.
- Popular sizes of select trees are 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, etc.
- Popular sizes of select bare root plants is 1 foot, 18 inches, etc.
Nature Hills Container Size by Volume
| Young Plants to 18 Months | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| 2"x2"x3" | Ranges from | .18 to .21 dry quarts / .198 to .23 dry liters in volume |
| 4.5" Container | Equal to | .655 dry quart / .72 dry liter in volume |
| 3.5" Container | Equal to | .67 dry quart / .74 dry liter in volume |
| 4" Container | Equal to | .87 dry quart / .96 dry liter in volume |
| 1 Quart | Equal to | 1 dry quart / 1.1 dry liter in volume |
| 5.5" Container | Equal to | 1.89 of a dry quart / 2.08 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x5" | Ranges from | .8 to 1.1 dry quarts / .88 to 1.2 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x6" | Ranges from | 1.0 to 1.3 dry quarts / 1.1 to 1.41 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x9" | Ranges from | 1.1 to 2.1 dry quarts / 1.2 to 2.3 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x10" | Ranges from | 1.7 to 2.3 dry quart / 1.87 to 2.53 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 18 Months - 2.5 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| 2 Quart | Equal to | 2 dry quarts / 2.2 dry liters in volume |
| #1 Container | Ranges from | 2.26 to 3.73 dry quarts / 2.49 to 4.11 dry liters in volume |
| 5"x5"x12" | Equal to | 3.5 to 4.3 dry quarts / 3.85 to 4.74 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 2 - 4 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| #2 Container | Ranges from | 1.19 to 1.76 dry gallons / 5.24 to 7.75 dry liters in volume |
| #3 Container | Ranges from | 2.32 to 2.76 dry gallons / 10.22 to 12.16 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 3 - 5 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| #5 Container | Ranges from | 2.92 to 4.62 dry gallons / 12.86 to 20.35 dry liters in volume |
| #7 Container | Ranges from | 5.98 to 6.08 dry gallons / 26.34 to 26.78 dry liters in volume |
About Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
click Here to learn more
Shipping
Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
| From | To | S&H | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | - | 19.99 | 14.95 |
| 20 | - | 49.99 | 17.95 |
| 50 | - | 69.99 | 19.95 |
| 70 | - | 99.99 | 24.95 |
| 100 | - | 129.99 | 29.95 |
| 130 | - | 130+ | Approx 25% |
Click here to see our full rates
Hardy, High Yield
In 1969, the USDA sent collected seed from a number of Northern Highbush crosses to New Zealand. The purpose was to improve the production of Blueberries that up to this time had not performed well in the country. The plants had to tolerate New Zealand's fluctuating climate pattern.
Over many years of observation, a group of three select seedlings arising from the Earliblue x Bluecrop crosses, stood-out as meeting the requirements. Reka Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum x 'Reka') was the most impressive.
This is a unique selection of Blueberry originally selected by Franklin H. Wood of the Maftech North, Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre Hamilton, New Zealand. In 1985, Reka was released and a patent was applied for in 1987.
Reka's moderate to large berry size and outstanding flavor were the immediate attraction. The plants overall size and production made it an instant hit with the commercial growers of New Zealand. A very heavy producer, the Reka's hardiness to the extreme cold snaps, the news of Reka's quality and adaptability spread quickly.
PLANT HIGHLIGHTS
| Botanical Name | Vaccinium 'Reka' |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Green |
| Mature Height | 4 - 6 feet |
| Mature Spread | 3 - 4 feet |
| Soil Type | Well drained |
| Moisture | Medium |
| Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
| Growth Rate | Medium |
| Flower Color | White |
| Fall Color | Red |
| Fruiting Time | Early |
