Fact Check: Do Blueberries Have Seeds?

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blueberries and strawberry

YES!

If you have eaten blueberries, you have eaten blueberry seeds.

They are just tiny enough that most of us do not think much about them, unless one gets stuck in a tooth while we are enjoying blueberry pie. And honestly, there are worse ways to notice a seed.

The seeds are tucked inside the soft flesh of the berry, which is why blueberries do not feel “seedy” in the same way raspberries or blackberries do.

How Many Seeds Are in a Blueberry?

A blueberry can have roughly 10 to 65 tiny seeds, depending on the variety, berry size and pollination. Larger berries do not always mean more seeds, but in general, seed count can vary quite a bit from one blueberry to the next.

Blueberries are botanically true berries, and their seeds develop inside the fruit after the flower is pollinated. Tiny, but definitely there.

You can grow new blueberry plants from seeds, although most growers prefer cuttings because they produce plants that are more predictable. Seeds are a bit of a surprise party, which can be fun, but not always ideal when you are hoping for one specific type of blueberry.

Do Blueberry Seeds Need a Winter Period?

Before blueberry seeds germinate well, they usually need a cold, moist period that mimics winter. This process is called cold stratification.

Many growers refrigerate or freeze the seeds for about 90 days before starting them, although the exact time can vary by blueberry type. The basic idea is to convince the seed that winter has come and gone, and now it is safe to wake up.

Home gardeners can sometimes start blueberry plants from fresh blueberries bought at the store, as long as the berries were not cooked, dried or treated in a way that damages the seeds. Frozen blueberries may still work in some cases, but fresh berries are usually the better bet.

Seeds can be removed by gently mashing the berries in water or pulsing them briefly in a kitchen blender with plenty of water. After several rinses, the pulp floats or pours away, and the tiny seeds can be collected from the bottom.

After that, the seeds are usually stratified, then started in a fine seed mix. Patience is required here, and I do mean patience, because blueberry seedlings are not exactly in a hurry.

Growing Blueberries

Blueberries are not difficult in the sense that they demand daily drama, but they are picky about soil. They grow best in acidic soil with a pH of about 4.5 to 5.5, which is why checking your soil before planting is worth the effort.

The University of Minnesota Extension notes that blueberries need acidic, well-drained soil and consistent moisture to grow well. Translation: do a little planning before buying the plant that looks adorable at the garden center.

Because there are so many blueberry varieties, it is also important to choose one that fits your climate. A variety that thrives in Maine may not be happy in Florida, and the reverse is also true.

Blueberries Are Native to North America

Blueberries are native to North America, although they are now grown in many parts of the world. Native Americans ate them fresh, dried them, used them in cooking and made juice from them.

They also used more than just the berry. The dried leaves were brewed into teas, the juice was used in traditional preparations, and the berries were even used as a natural dye for baskets and cloth.

Blueberries were sometimes called “starberries” because of the five-pointed star shape at the blossom end of the fruit. Once you notice it, you will probably look for it every time you eat one.

Many Varieties of Blueberries

Blueberries belong to the genus Vaccinium, along with cranberries, lingonberries and bilberries. This group includes hundreds of species, growing in everything from cold northern regions to warmer climates.

The four main cultivated blueberry groups are highbush, lowbush, hybrid half-high and rabbiteye. Plant size can range from low, ground-hugging wild blueberries to shrubs that reach several feet tall.

Rabbiteye blueberries got their name because the blossom end can resemble a rabbit’s eye as the berry develops and ripens. Not exactly the first thing I would have named a fruit after, but there we are.

Highbush blueberries are the most widely grown commercial blueberries today.

Blueberry breeding has produced varieties with different harvest seasons, berry sizes, flavors and degrees of cold or heat tolerance. This is one reason blueberries at the store can vary so much in sweetness, tartness and size.

Lowbush wild blueberries still grow in areas with very cold winters, including parts of Maine, Minnesota and Canada. Many people remember picking them by hand in the woods, usually with a small pail and, hopefully, a good supply of patience.

Blueberry pie was, of course, a favorite. Jams, syrups and wines were also traditional ways to use the harvest.

As noted by the New World Encyclopedia, Maine has long been known for wild blueberries, and wild blueberry is the state fruit. The state still remains one of the best-known wild blueberry regions in the U.S.

Modern blueberry cultivation began in New Jersey in the early 1900s, when Elizabeth White, the daughter of a cranberry farmer, worked with USDA botanist Frederick Coville to domesticate wild blueberries. Honestly, anyone who helped make blueberries more available deserves a small thank-you every time we make pancakes.

Today, blueberries are grown commercially in the United States, Canada, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Europe and other regions. Chile and Peru have become especially important suppliers during the North American off-season.

Are Blueberries Hand Picked?

Some blueberries are still handpicked, especially those sold fresh. Fresh-market berries need to look good, hold their shape and arrive without too much bruising, and people are still pretty good at noticing which berries are ready.

That said, many blueberries grown for freezing, juicing, baking and other processed foods are harvested by machine. Mechanical harvesting has improved over the years, but it can still be harder on delicate berries than hand picking.

Blueberries grow in clusters, but they do not all ripen at the same time. That means a field may be picked more than once during the season so the ripe berries can be harvested while the green or pink berries stay on the plant a little longer.

Blueberries also have a natural waxy coating called bloom. This coating helps protect the berry and reduce moisture loss, which is one reason you do not want to handle them too much before storing.

It is best to wash blueberries right before eating them rather than before putting them in the refrigerator. Washing too early can add moisture and shorten their shelf life, which is very sad when you paid good money for berries.

Are Blueberries Really a “Superfruit”?

Blueberries are often called a superfruit because they contain fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and polyphenols, including anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give blueberries their deep blue-purple color.

I am not always a fan of the word “superfood,” because it can make one food sound magical. Blueberries are healthy, yes, but they still work best as part of an overall balanced eating pattern, not as a tiny blue cure-all.

A 1-cup serving of raw blueberries provides about 84 calories, 3.6 grams of fiber and a good amount of vitamin K and manganese, based on USDA FoodData Central. They are also delicious, which I consider a very practical nutrition benefit.

The USDA has reported that blueberries are a good source of health-promoting compounds, and wild blueberries have been studied for their antioxidant capacity. Most of the anthocyanins are concentrated in the skin, which is another good reason to eat the whole berry.

Research suggests blueberries may support heart health, blood pressure, vascular function, cognitive health, gut health and healthy blood sugar management. The key word is support, not cure.

Fresh blueberries are a favorite for many people, but they can also be frozen, dried, cooked, baked, juiced or added to cereal, yogurt, smoothies and salads. Personally, I think a warm blueberry crisp also counts as emotional support.

Blueberry Nutrition and Health Research

Researchers continue to study how storage and processing affect the nutritional quality of blueberries. Freezing, drying, juicing, blanching and baking can all change the levels of certain bioactive compounds.

That does not mean cooked or frozen blueberries are suddenly not worth eating. It simply means fresh, frozen and cooked blueberries may offer slightly different nutritional profiles.

In this review of blueberry processing and bioactive compounds, researchers explain that different preservation methods can influence antioxidant activity and phytochemical content. The practical takeaway is not to panic over your muffin, but to enjoy blueberries in more than one form when you can.

Baylor College of Medicine researchers have also looked at whether blueberries maintain benefits after cooking and heating, as described in this Baylor College of Medicine report. Good news for anyone who was not planning to give up blueberry pancakes.

A Few More Studies on Blueberries

The second Cincinnati study included adults ages 62 to 80 without diagnosed cognitive impairment, and the results were less dramatic. This is a good reminder that nutrition research is rarely one big, neat headline.

  • Root, stem and leaf extracts of Canadian lowbush blueberry have been studied in Phytomedicine for compounds with insulin-like and anti-diabetic potential. That does not mean blueberry leaves should replace diabetes medication, but it does explain why researchers are interested in the entire plant.
  • A Universidad Nacional de Colombia study looked at germination conditions for Colombian blueberry seeds. For anyone trying to grow blueberries from seed, germination details matter.

You can also download this 2009 USDA research article on blueberries and chronic disease risk, which discusses blueberry intake in relation to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other conditions. It is a more technical read, but helpful if you like getting into the details.

More recent reviews, including this review on berries, anthocyanins and cardiometabolic health, continue to suggest that berries, including blueberries, may play a useful role in a heart-healthy dietary pattern. Again, no one food does everything, but blueberries can certainly earn their spot in the bowl.

Bottom Line

Yes, blueberries have seeds. Each blueberry usually contains many tiny seeds, often somewhere between 10 and 65, depending on the type of blueberry and growing conditions.

The seeds are edible, and because they are so small, most people eat them without noticing. No peeling, no spitting, no drama.

Blueberries are also packed with flavor, color, fiber and beneficial plant compounds, which makes them an easy food to include more often. Add them to oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, salads, pancakes or just eat them by the handful over the sink like the rest of us.

P.S. Take the general advice shared by the USDA and consider including blueberries in your regular food and menu planning.

BTW, the North Carolina Blueberry Council has a great index of blueberry recipes to enjoy. You may also want to check out are blueberries acidic.