Wild blueberries, one of sweetest finds for foragers, are ripening across Minnesota’s North Woods for the next two to three weeks. They’re coveted for taste, ease of identification and relative sturdiness — especially compared with more delicate or seedy wild fruits such as thimbleberries, gooseberries, wild raspberries and blackberries.
The downside? You’ll likely need to stoop really low. Native species, including low bush and velvetleaf (also called Canadian blueberry), don’t grow higher than 2 feet.
Also, most wild blueberries don’t grow larger than a quarter-inch to half-inch, even though they resemble their grocery-store counterparts in deep blue color and five-pointed crown.
Colonies of shrubs favor rocky, sandy soils that may be slightly acidic from surrounding pine trees. They’re often one of the first plants to return after a forest fire. Look for blueberries in areas with full sun, including at the edge of forests and in areas that might seem unexpected, such as the towering Palisade Head along Lake Superior.
People give up the location of their favorite blueberry patches as willingly as hot fishing spots, but it doesn’t hurt to ask locals or forest rangers for hints in state parks such as Jay Cooke, Gooseberry Falls, Tettegouche and Zippel Bay, and state forests such as Beltrami and Blackduck. You can also stop at visitor centers within the expansive Chippewa and Superior national forests for advice.
On state land, Department of Natural Resources rules say that people may harvest edible fruits for personal consumption — not large amounts or for commercial purposes. Don’t damage the plants and be sure to leave fruit for others; animals rely on it as a vital food source.
According to Ely’s North American Bear Center, a black bear may eat up to 30,000 berries a day for the nutrients it needs — especially the females who will give birth during winter hibernation.
For anyone feeling competitive, the Gunflint Trail hosts an annual biggest blueberry contest with 17 weigh-in stations through Aug. 10. Ely celebrates the wild fruit with its annual Blueberry Arts Festival July 25-27.
