Honeyberries
While visiting our home to drop off the Thornless Blackberries we purchased at the Garden Club Plant Sale (thank you again) Jonathan noticed some unusual shrubs we have in our yard and asked for more information.
The plants are Honeyberries, also known as Haskaps, or Blue Honeysuckles.
Honeyberry plants (Lonicera caerulea) are a non-invasive, edible relative of the honeysuckle. Exceptionally cold-hardy (to -40) and easy to grow in a wide range of soil types, they produce an early crop of oblong purple berries. The flavor of Honeyberries is difficult to describe – to me they taste “blueberry-ish.” The plants have been cultivated for centuries in the cooler regions of Russia, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Our plants came from the Stark Brothers Nursery in Louisiana Missouri and do just fine in Lebanon, Illinois.
Beautiful Hedge
When planted in fairly close proximity, they spread to make a beautiful green hedge which turns to crimson in the fall. Raindrops bead on the leaves and it appears the shrubs were sprinkled with tiny crystal balls which glow in the sunlight after a shower.
Honeyberries are grown commercially in some areas and the split kiddie pool photo is how one grower harvests their berries.The following video has more details on Honey Bee/Haskap harvesting.
Enjoy:
Have an enjoyable day!
Terry Ernst
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