Honeyberries: A New Fruit For Your Garden

 

 

 

 

Honeyberries, shrubs with fruit resembling elongated blueberries, are gaining in popularity in northern climates. As the name suggests, they can be quite delicious! We have a couple of commercial growers of these plants in South Dakota, and even in Miles City, Montana, which has harsh weather both winter and summer.

 

 

Honeyberries (Lonicera caerulea) are closely related to honeysuckle vines and shrubs and are very hardy - they are said to withstand 20 degrees F at full bloom and still produce a crop of fruit! One of the honeyberry bushes I planted last year bloomed at Easter this year when we had temperatures in the low 20’s, and I still had a few fruit. Honeyberries tend to grow in wet areas in their native habitats, so they tolerate poorly drained soils better than most fruit plants, although they thrive in good soils. They require little yearly maintenance; some studies suggest that they should not be pruned for the first few years, and then only during dormant season to thin overly dense growth.

 

 

Despite the fruit’s appearance, these small shrubs are not at all related to blueberries, which require very acidic soil. Honeyberries can apparently tolerate our alkaline soils, so they can stand in as a substitute for blueberries in our area. They are native to the very northern arctic forests worldwide. There are a number of subspecies or varieties that can vary in quality but fruit breeders have developed cultivars with good fruit size and flavor. The fruit ripen early, so the dreaded spotted wing fruit fly should not be a problem – that new pest usually appears later in the summer.

Russian-type cultivars tend to bloom very early. Since bees may not be active that early in the year, pollination is a concern some years. The most recent Canadian-bred, Russian-type cultivars, ‘Borealis’, ‘Tundra’, and ‘Aurora’ may have better powdery mildew resistance than some of the earlier selections. Some report ‘Borealis’ to be quite tart, but others have preferred it; it may depend on where it is growing as well as the level of ripeness when picked (the skin turns color before the fruit is fully ripe). ‘Aurora’ is a more recent release with larger fruit, and is a good pollinizer. In North Dakota trials, ‘Indigo Gem’ was judged to have the best flavor.