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I am basing my question on what I infer from this answer. Excerpt:

Tosefos there (Brachot 40a) actually suggests that all berries should be borei pri ha'etz based on that standard, however he brings from the Yerushalmi that fruit of brambles/thorn bushes are pri ha'adama.

Another par. in that answer states:

The basic requirement of borei pri ha'etz is being perennial, as you mentioned, based on Berachos 40a

In describing blueberries, this Wikipedia article states that they are perennials, so that would qualify them as Ha'etz. However, it also describes various blueberry species, many of which grow on bushes. AFAIK, none have thorns (if that is an absolute requirement based on Yerushalmi definition.)

So, practically speaking in terms of ruling, now, is there a definitive bracha or is it based on which species you are eating?

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  • Thorns make it ho'adama? Shouldn't that mean all citrus fruit should qualify as well?
    – Loewian
    Commented Jul 15, 2015 at 15:23

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Thanks to the Westmount Shul for this answer. Yes there is a difference, depending on how it grows. This is the way both Rabbi Bodner's & Rabbi Forst's Sefer rules also.

  1. Similarly, many "wild" plants, even though they produce fruit from year to year, are not considered trees. If only their roots remain and their trunk (or stem) dies out, they do not qualify for the bracha Ha'aitz. The bracha on strawberries and wild berries, therefore, is Ha'adama.
  2. Conversely, many bushes and vines, even though they do not resemble a tree, are considered "trees." As long as their branches remain alive year round, the product of these plants receive the bracha Ha'aitz. This includes fruits such as blueberries and grapes.
  3. If, however, a bush grows very close to the ground (within nine inches), common practice is to say Ha'adama on its fruit, even though it qualifies as a "tree." For this reason, the bracha on cranberries and wild blueberries is Ha'adama.
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  • Gershon, thanks. My browser, currently blocks me from reading your link, so I have to study this later. I'm curious regarding their mar'eh m'komot. Essentially, they confirmed my thinking. Now, comes the tricky part (unless you can answer) - most commercial grocery blueberries in U.S. are what bracha?
    – DanF
    Commented Jul 15, 2015 at 13:58
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    Haeitz on most blueberries in supermarkets in the USA
    – Gershon Gold
    Commented Jul 15, 2015 at 13:59
  • BTW for perennials that grow within 9 inches of the ground, common Ashkenazic practice is haadama as stated, but the Magen Avraham says it's still haeitz.
    – Shalom
    Commented Jul 15, 2015 at 14:10
  • No. Have never been to that Shul.
    – Gershon Gold
    Commented Jul 15, 2015 at 14:52

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