Sweetberry honeysuckle, Bluefly honeysuckle, Haskap berry
Lonicera caerulea
Family: Caprifoliaceae
What it is like
Another member of the Honeysuckle family, Honeyberry or Haskapberry is a fast-growing deciduous shrub grown for its blueberry-like fruit. Although the berries are small, they are great eaten raw straight from the bush and fun to graze with children. Most varieties have small green leaves and attractive stems. They are hardy to zone 3 and are easy-to-grow with no pest or disease problems. Fruit can be eaten raw or used in jams and jellies. They can also be frozen for later use. High in antioxidants and vitamin C. Haskap are superior to any other Honeyberries with sweeter, wild Blueberry flavour and larger, fleshier fruit. Extremely cold hardy. Two varieties are needed for pollination. Note: Lonicera caerulea var. edulis Turcz. ex Herder is a synonym of Lonicera caerulea L.
Lonicera caerulea is a deciduous Shrub growing to 2 m (6ft 7in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. It is in flower from April to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 2
Where it is found
Low ground.
N.E. Europe. Northern N. America - Newfoundland to Alaska and southwards.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
Alaska, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Mongolia, North America, Russia, Siberia, USA,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
The following report is for the closely related L. villosa, it would be worthwhile experimenting with this plant to check on edibility. The fruit of this species is about 5mm in diameter. Fruit - raw or preserved. A milder flavour than most edible honeysuckles, they can be eaten raw but are mainly used in making jams, jellies and refreshing drinks.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 0
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Grows best in a good moist soil in a sunny position, it does not fruit so well in the shade. Closely related to L. villosa. Interesting botanically because it appears as though two flowers arise from a single ovary. The fruit is actually a fleshy growth that surrounds the two ovaries. A very variable species, there are some named forms selected for their ornamental value. Plants of many haskap cultivars grow to be 1.5 to 2 meters tall and wide, can survive a large range of soil acidity, from 3.9-7.7 (optimum 5.5-6.5), requiring high organic matter, well drained soils, and plentiful sunlight for optimum productivity. Lonicera caerulea plants are more tolerant of wet conditions than most fruit species. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is branching: a heart root, dividing from the crown into several primary roots going down and out .
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 2 months cold stratification and should be sown as soon as possible in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with or without a heel, July/August in a frame. Good percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 20cm with or without a heel, November in a cold frame. Good percentage. Layering in autumn.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 3-9
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Hascup, Hasukappu, honeyberry, haskap berry, blue-berried honeysuckle, or sweetberry honeysuckle