This medium-sized deciduous shrub is fairly common in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina along sandy riverbank levees and in bottomland forests. It is distinguished from the several similar rabbiteye blueberries by its small leaf size (length 2-3 cm, about an inch) and numerous branches of thin twigs. The round twigs are densely covered with short hairs. The leaves are dark green and glossy above, lack stipitate glands, and have finely serrate margins.

Pender Co., NC 4/23/06.

Unripe berries. The berries are black when ripe. The flowers are more than two times as long as broad.

Pender Co., NC 4/23/06.