Lonicera caerulea
Haskap (Lonicera caerulea), also known as honeyberry, is a cold-hardy deciduous shrub grown for its highly nutritious, sweet-tart blue fruits.
Belonging to the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, this species is native to boreal forests across the Northern Hemisphere, including regions of Canada, Russia, Japan, and parts of the United States.
The berries offer a complex, tangy-sweet flavor often described as a cross between a blueberry, a raspberry, and a black currant.
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These low-maintenance shrubs can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 8, depending on the variety, and are suitable for a wide range of soil types.
With the right pollination partners and proper siting, haskaps produce generous crops for 30 years or more. Some cultivars start producing fruit in the first year after planting, with full harvests beginning around year three or four.
I first became interested in growing haskaps after reading about their flavor and cold tolerance, two traits that are often at odds in the world of home fruit production.
I took the plunge, added a few plants to my garden, and now they’re among the first fruits I enjoy every season.
If you’re curious about these attractive and productive shrubs, I’ll go over everything you need to know. Here’s what I’ll cover:
L. caerulea is most commonly known as honeyberry or haskap, and is also sometimes called blue, edible, swampfly, or sweet berry honeysuckle.
These cold hardy plants can be cultivated in Zones 2 to 8, but Japanese and Russian varieties respond differently in different climates and conditions.
Russian cultivars which are generally referred to as honeyberries are usually better suited for growing in colder, higher elevations, whereas Japanese types, haskaps, are well suited to regions where summers can be hot.
The names honeyberries and haskaps are often used interchangeably in North America, regardless of the variety.
Quick Look
Common name(s): Haskap, honeyberry, blue honeysuckle
Plant type: Deciduous fruiting shrub
Hardiness (USDA Zone): 2-8
Native to: Asia, Europe, North America
Bloom time / season: Spring, fruit in early summer
Exposure: Full to part sun
Soil type: Sandy, loamy, well-draining
Soil pH: 5.5-8.0, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
Time to maturity: 3-5 years
Mature size: 4-8 feet tall x 4-8 feet wide
Water Needs: Moderate
Taxonomy
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Genus: Lonicera
Species: Caerulea
Haskap bushes grow at a moderate rate to a mature size of two to eight feet wide and four to eight feet tall.
They might begin to bear scant fruit after one year of planting, but will increase their yield as they grow larger, providing an ample harvest after about three to four years.
The green leaves are about two to three inches long. Pale yellow, tubular flowers bloom in late spring to early summer and are a favorite for bees and butterflies.
These plants are self-incompatible, which means they require cross-pollination with a different cultivar to produce fruit.
You’ll need to plant at least two compatible varieties that bloom simultaneously.
After pollination, the fruits ripen to a deep blue, sometimes with a burgundy or purplish hue. The oval honeyberries range in size from about a half inch up to two inches long, depending on the variety.
Haskaps are usually harvested in late spring to early summer. While their texture is similar to that of blueberries, the flavor is a sweet-tart, like a unique cross between a blueberry, a currant, and a raspberry.
The fruits are high in antioxidants, and the shrubs will tolerate a range of soil pH levels from 5.5 to 8.0, making them easier to cultivate for those who have trouble growing blueberries, which do best in acidic soil.
When I bought my haskap plants a few years ago, it was a challenge to find them. But with each year that goes by, I notice more online sellers and local nurseries carrying them, a sign that they are becoming more popular!
How to Grow
Honeyberry shrubs are low maintenance, not fussy about their soil, and very cold hardy.
Let’s take a look at their growing requirements:
Climate
These shrubs grow in Zones 2 to 8, and some varieties can survive cold temperatures down to -49°F.
The flowers can even withstand temperatures down to 14°F and still set fruit.
Light
Honeyberry shrubs need at least six hours of sun to produce the highest yields, so plant in a full sun location if possible.
They will grow beautifully in part shade, but their yields will be slightly lower.
My haskaps receive about six hours of full sun from mid-morning to mid-afternoon and they produce quite well.
Soil
Haskaps are tolerant of most soil types but they grow best in well-drained, loamy soil. They will grow in clay and sandy loams with a pH level ranging from 5.5 to 8.0.
As some honeyberry types are suited to mountainous regions and others to low-lying areas, you can find different varieties that will tolerate short periods of wet soil.
Pollination
Honeyberry shrubs need a partner to pollinate successfully. Planting honeyberries in groups of more than two will increase the odds of successful pollination and produce the highest yields.
Spacing is important. You want to give your honeyberry shrubs enough room to grow to their mature size without becoming overcrowded, but you don’t want to space plants so far away from one another that the pollinators have too far to fly.
Three to eight feet apart is generally fine, depending on the variety. Check the tag that comes with your new plant for spacing guidelines.
Water
Honeyberry plants need regular water to produce fruit. Irrigation is especially important during the first three years after planting, while the plants are becoming established.
Avoid watering in small amounts several times a week, as this will encourage a shallow root system. Plants with shallow root systems do not do as well during dry spells and drought.
Instead, water deeply once a week, in the absence of sufficient rain.
This will encourage the roots to grow deep in the soil where they can access stored moisture, making them more resilient.
After the first three to four years, these shrubs will require less water except in times of drought or during extended dry spells.
Weeding and Mulching
Weed management is important when growing haskaps as they compete for nutrients and water.
Mulch helps to retain water in the soil by slowing evaporation and it also keeps weeds at bay. Plan to top up the layer of mulch to about three inches deep every spring.
Fertilizing
I recommend adding one or two scoops of compost or well-rotted manure around your honeyberry shrubs every spring before refreshing your mulch.
The manure I use is composted with wood chips, so it takes care of both tasks at the same time.
Outside of feeding with compost in the spring, haskaps don’t require additional fertilizer.
Maintenance
Honeyberry shrubs do not sucker, so there is no need to control their spread.
If bushes become too dense, pruning will encourage better air circulation between the branches and more sunlight to reach the interior branches, resulting in better berry production.
Pruning should be done after harvest in the fall, during the winter, or early spring.
Remove older branches and any that are diseased or damaged to thin the shrub. Never remove more than 25 percent of the overall size of the shrub in the same year.
As a haskap shrub gets older, it may become less productive. If this happens, you can rejuvenate the shrub by chopping it down to about six inches tall.
Since these shrubs are so hardy, there is no need to do anything special to protect them during the winter.
Cultivars to Select
There are a variety of honeyberry cultivars available but they can be a bit difficult to find.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Aurora
‘Aurora’ is a Canadian-bred honeyberry cultivar, best suited for Zones 2 to 6.
It produces pale, yellow-colored flowers in the middle of May and the shrubs reach between five and six feet wide and up to five feet tall at maturity.
The blue berries are quite large and elongated, measuring about an inch and a half long, and are ready for picking in late June through early August.
Suitable pollinators include ‘Borealis,’ ‘Indigo Gem,’ and ‘Tundra.’
Berry Blue
‘Berry Blue’ honeyberry is suited for growing in Zones 3 to 8. This variety grows to a mature height of six to eight feet tall and between four to eight feet wide at maturity.
The creamy white flowers bloom from April to May. The dark blue berries are large and elongated, about an inch long, ripening in the middle of June through July.
‘Berry Blue’
Suitable pollinators for ‘Berry Blue’ are ‘Honeybee’ and ‘Tundra.’
You can find ‘Berry Blue’ plants available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Indigo Gem
‘Indigo Gem’ haskap grows well in Zones 2 to 7 and reaches a mature height of four to six feet tall and three to four feet wide.
The pale yellow flowers bloom in midspring and fruits mature by early summer. The honeyberries of are a dusty blue color, elongated and a little smaller than those of some other haskaps.
‘Indigo Gem’
Good pollination partners include ‘Aurora,’ ‘Honeybee,’ and ‘Indigo Treat.’
You can find ‘Indigo Gem’ available in one-gallon containers available at Fast Growing Trees.
Indigo Treat
‘Indigo Treat’ are suited for Zones 2 to 7. These shrubs max out at about five feet tall and five feet wide at maturity.
The creamy white flowers bloom in midspring and the berries are ready to harvest from June into July, depending on your local climate conditions.
Like ‘Indigo Gem,’ the dark blue honeyberries are slightly smaller than those of some other cultivars.
‘Indigo Treat’
Suitable pollinators include ‘Aurora,’ ‘Honeybee,’ and ‘Indigo Gem.’
You can find ‘Indigo Treat’ available in one-gallon containers at Fast Growing Trees.
Tundra
‘Tundra’ is suitable for cultivation in Zones 3 to 7. This cultivar grows to four feet wide and tall at maturity. The flowers are creamy white in color and bloom in April to May.
This cultivar produces one-inch blue honeyberries with a firm texture, which makes them popular in commercial production.
The fruits ripen in the middle of June and can produce through July, depending on conditions and climate.
‘Tundra’
Suitable pollinators include ‘Aurora,’ ‘Berry Blue,’ and ‘Honeybee.’
You can find ‘Tundra’ plants available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Propagation
While it’s possible to propagate honeyberry plants from seeds, the resulting seedlings will typically not have the same characteristics as the parent plant.
Commercial growers propagate these shrubs asexually, using tissue cultures or cuttings, to produce clones of the parent plants.
While you can successfully propagate L. caerulea from cuttings, keep in mind that most cultivars are patented and can only be propagated by licensed commercial growers.
The easiest way to get started is to purchase a couple of potted specimens for transplanting.
This will also ensure that you plant the right varieties for your region and the appropriate pollinating partners.
Transplanting
First, dig a hole that is twice as wide as the container the plant is growing in and about one or two inches deeper.
Tap and squeeze the sides of the container and then carefully slide the plant out. If the roots are bound, gently tease them apart.
Set the plant into the hole and check the depth. Adjust the height, if necessary, by digging the hole a little deeper or adding some soil back in.
You want to set the plant about an inch deeper than in its current container.
When you’re satisfied with the position of the plant, backfill with soil around the roots, gently tamping the soil as you go to force out air pockets.
Give the new transplant a good soak with two to three gallons of water and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged for the first two to three weeks while it’s becoming established.
Apply a two- to three-inch layer of mulch around the base of the plant, covering the root zone but not touching the stem.
Pests and Disease
L. caerulea shrubs are rarely bothered by insect pests and diseases, so there are few potential issues to mention.
Birds will likely be your biggest challenge. As the green haskap berries begin to turn blue and ripen, the birds will appear, ready to share your harvest.
So plan ahead. You will need bird netting to cover your shrubs. Look for a netting with holes that are one-half inch or less in size.
Be sure to cover your haskap shrubs all the way to the ground and secure the netting with stakes or heavy bricks or rocks.
Occasionally, you might notice signs of leaf miners on the foliage. These insects won’t harm the honeyberries and they can be controlled by organic methods.
Learn more about leaf miners here.
The main disease you may come across is powdery mildew.
The good news is that it generally appears after the harvest, so although the powdery coating on the leaves is a bit unsightly, it typically won’t do much damage.
Check out our guide to powdery mildew to learn how to control this common fungal condition.
Harvesting
In the first few years after planting, haskap bushes will produce a small amount of fruit, and this yield will increase by year three or four.
The fruit on some shrubs will ripen all at once, and on others they may ripen gradually and sporadically, typically beginning in May or June.
It can be tricky to know when the fruits are ripe, especially if you’re new to growing honeyberries.
When the honeyberries start to turn blue, they won’t be ready to pick for at least one more week. Test by picking and splitting open a berry. If it’s still green on the inside, it’s not ready yet.
You can either pick the fruits by hand or set a sheet or tarp under the shrub and shake the branches.
After harvest, spread the honeyberries out on a clean towel for inspection, remove any damaged fruit, leaves and other debris, and enjoy!
Preserving
You can store your honeyberries in a sealed container or plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Beyond a week, haskaps can be canned, dehydrated, fermented, or frozen. Of all these methods, I find freezing to be the easiest.
After thawing, they will be a bit softer than when fresh, but are still bursting with flavor!
To freeze, lay the berries out on a cookie sheet or a tray so they aren’t touching each other. Place the tray into the freezer until the berries are frozen.
Remove gently from the tray and place them into a zip-top freezer bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible while you seal the bag. Store frozen berries in your freezer for up to a year.
Cooking Ideas
The sweet-tart flavor of haskap berries is delicious when eaten fresh, but they’re also perfect for baking and preserving.
Use your honeyberries to make compotes, jams, and jellies. Try juicing them and making different sauces.
I haven’t tried it myself, but if you’re a home winemaker, I’ve heard haskaps make incredible wines and liqueurs.
I like to make a quick sauce to drizzle over waffles or my overnight oats and chia pudding.
I add the berries to the second fermentation of kombucha, squeezing them first to release the juice. Baked goods like muffins, crisps, and cobblers are also favorites in my house.
Most recipes that call for blueberries will work with haskaps too, like this scrumptious blueberry oatmeal square recipe on our sister site, Foodal.
Just substitute the blueberries with haskaps.
A Honey of a Berry
With their exceptional cold tolerance, early harvest season, and tangy-sweet flavor, honeyberries are an outstanding choice for home gardeners in cool climates.
These rugged shrubs ask for little beyond full sun, consistent moisture, and a cross-pollination partner to reward you with bountiful harvests of nutrient-rich berries.
Are you growing honeyberries? Let us know in the comments section below!
And for more information about growing fruit in your landscape, have a look at these guides next: