Sweeten Your Yard with Honeyberries
Tamra Boyce, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener
When I heard a vocal robin and an irate black bird arguing in my yard, I knew they had found them. My honeyberries! I dashed out to buy some bird netting, but I was too late. I returned home to find the branches nearly stripped clean. I had successfully harvested at least eight pounds of honeyberries (Lonicera caerulea and Lonicera villosa) from my backyard garden for the past two years, but not this year. Unfortunately, the birds love honeyberries as much as I do!
Honeyberry shrubs are cold-hardy and produce deep bluish-purple, oddly shaped fruit. The taste falls somewhere between a tart blueberry or grape, but newer hybrids such as ‘Borealis,’ ‘Tundra,’ ‘Aurora,’ ‘Indigo Gem,’ and ‘Cinderella’ will appeal to those who want sweeter berries. They are native to Russia and northern Asia where they are known as haskaps. Able to survive temperatures of -55° Fahrenheit, with flowers that can tolerate 20° F, honeyberries are highly compatible for Minnesota gardens. Unlike the brambling raspberry, they are a well-mannered shrub that grows three to eight feet tall and can be used for foundation plantings, privacy screens or as stand-alone plants in your landscape design.
The honeyberry is a member of the honeysuckle family. Its fluted, light-yellow flowers bloom early, a windfall for emerging bees and other pollinators as a first food source after a long winter or lengthy migration. Flowering as early as mid-April, honeyberries are often the earliest fruits that can be harvested in spring, weeks before raspberries and strawberries and months before blueberries.
Honeyberries are easy-care, quick to mature, and prolific producers. They can grow in most soils; however, sandy soil may need to be amended with compost. The plants flourish in a wide range of pH levels (4.5-8.5) and are not particular about sunlight, although a sunny location will give the best production. They require at least two varieties planted near each other to cross-pollinate; planting types that bloom at similar times will help set fruit.
Overall, honeyberries have fewer pest problems than other fruiting bushes. Birds love to devour them, so netting may be required if you want to protect the plants. To avoid fungal diseases and related issues, be sure to give the shrubs adequate air circulation. Pruning must be done every two to three years in late winter or early spring to keep plants in shape and yielding plentiful fruit.
Honeyberries are a versatile food crop. You can eat them freshly picked, baked in muffins, or mixed with other berries (honeyberry and blueberry pie is a family favorite). You can also process them into in jams, syrups or wines.
Whether you want to share with the birds or not, honeyberries are a great addition to any backyard or garden. If you are looking to add them to your edible landscape, a great way to learn more is by visiting a working farm. Here are a few in Minnesota that offer tours:
Honeyberry USA in Bagley: https://www.honeyberryusa.com
Blue Fruit Farm in Winona: https://www.bluefruitfarm.com
Follow Anoka County Master Gardeners on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to learn more gardening tips and watch our educational videos. Find our social media channels and subscribe to our community e-newsletter by visiting www.anokamastergardeners.org