Growing 'Pink Lemonade' Blueberries: A Novelty with Caveats

The Allure of Pink Blueberries

‘Pink Lemonade’ blueberry has captured gardeners’ attention with its unusual pink fruit, but before you plant, understand what you’re getting. According to blueberry expert Scott Nesmith, this variety is a recent garden novelty prized primarily for its color rather than superior flavor. The pink berries are unlikely to be the best-tasting blueberries you’ve ever had.

Parentage and Pollination Needs

‘Pink Lemonade’ is a hybrid with ‘Delite’ rabbiteye blueberry as one parent, crossed with a mix of other blueberry species. Because it has rabbiteye heritage, it requires a different rabbiteye variety nearby for cross-pollination and good fruit set. Excellent partners include ‘Tifblue’ or ‘Climax’—plant one of these within 50 feet for optimal yields.

Is It Worth Growing?

If you want a conversation piece and enjoy the novelty of pink berries, ‘Pink Lemonade’ can be a fun addition. However, for serious blueberry production, traditional rabbiteye or southern highbush varieties will outperform it in flavor and reliability. Treat it as an ornamental edible rather than a primary crop.