Very few historical records exist on ancient blueberry culture in the Greek and Roman empires. Those cultures did use parts of the blueberry plants and fruit to eat or to treat ailments. The size and flavor of native blueberry plants was extremely variable, and the USDA, modern, extensive research and development of choice selections was judged on a basis of taste, yield of plants, aroma, small berry seeds, and the lasting quality of the fresh berries increased the popularity of this fruit in a period of fifty years as one of America's favorite agricultural products.

William Bartram, the early American botanist and explorer, reported seeing various members of the native blueberry plant relatives, Vaccinium varietas, as he and his father, John Bartram took an inventory of plants to establish on Georgia farms in his book, Travels, in 1773.

Luther Burbank was perhaps America's most prolific hybridizer of fruits, and he imported many native species of blueberries, Vaccinium Spp., from other countries and reported in his book, Small Fruits in 1921, that very little improvement had been made to produce a commercially, improved blueberry bush. In recent years the USDA has released excellent yielding blueberries that, when fully ripened, are sweetly flavored, aromatically pleasing, and easy to harvest. Some cultivars of blueberry plants can be machine harvested. Fresh blueberries are available in United States markets, beginning in April and extending until October.