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newyorkrita

Honeyberry

newyorkrita
21 years ago

Anyone growing Honeyberry (Lonicera Kamchatika or edible Honeysuckle) for its fruit? It is available from both Raintree and One Green World Nurseries out in Oregon, so I ordered two from Raintree to be delivered this Fall.

I currently do have blueberry bushes in my yard and was thinking the culture for the Honeyberries might be the same. Catalog said it needs part shade.

I like to try new fruit. The only thing is that some of the native shrubs of the northwest do not grow well here on the humid east coast.

Comments (79)

  • Tiffz8b
    19 years ago

    I planted 8 of the same variety (blue velvet) this spring and despite a downpour during their bloom cycle, they actually set some fruit. The fruit was tiny and I didn't even know they were there until they were too soft to eat. I wasn't expecting any fruit at all for a while.

    I think planting the same type works because they will bloom together. I am no expert, however.

    They are definately not that pretty.

    It is true about them breaking dormancy at the first hint of warm weather. I couldn't believe how fast they greened up. Where I am at, we have wild fluctuations, so I figure I won't get fruit some years.

  • newyorkrita
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    You have to carefully lift up the branches to see the fruits as they are on the underside of the branches under the leaves. Raintree Nursery says you need two types for fruit set.

  • Tiffz8b
    19 years ago

    I know. Raintree's catalog states that two types are needed to set fruit, but I read that after I bought them from Parks. They said in their catalog that you could plant multiple varieties or more than one of the same for fruit set. Since I was growing a hedge, I bought all of the same variety. I am pretty confident that there are no honeyberry plants nearby. Perhaps they will set fruit, but not as well as with two varieties.

    I guess I will be finding out. Of course, Raintree specializes in fruiting plants more than Parks, so I kicked myself when I read the conflicting advice.

    How big have your "shrubs" grown since you got them? Do they look like shrubs or straggly wannabes? Mine are pretty unruly and I think they could benefit from a good pruning.

  • newyorkrita
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    They have filled out but not gotten much taller. They do grow like shrubs but I can't say these things are very attractive. I mostly just ignore them.

  • stephtheogre88
    19 years ago

    hey newyorkrita, where can u buy winter honeysuckle?

  • newyorkrita
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    I got my Winter Honeysuckle from Fairweather Gardens this Spring. It is also called Fragrant Honeysuckle. Other places might have it under that name.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fairweather Gardens

  • newyorkrita
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Well, shock of the century. Both my Honeyberry shrubs are actually blooming at the same time!

  • ksrogers
    18 years ago

    Mine are now 4 years old and still only about 2 feet tall. Never seen a single berry, and just a couple of blossoms. Because I had ordered from different sources, I can't tell if I have two types growing. At least they don't take up much space as I would have pulled them by now.

  • gswilkent
    18 years ago

    I have 2 honey berries they are amazingly different from each other. They almost look like 2 differnt types of plant not just variety. the one blooms earlier than the other though so I have not gotten much fruit. The fruit I have got has been very good though it tastes very similar to a wild low bush blueberry only slightly more tart. I have just got 2 more so hopefully more fruit will come. They are the first thing to leaf out every year and the one is the first thing to bloom in our yard, they have been buried in over a foot of snow and had well below freezing temperatures when in bloom and I still get the same amount of fruit, so for all the people in this forum from zone 7 who are worried about spring frosts, don't be.

  • ksrogers
    18 years ago

    Honey berries for me have not grown any berries. I think that even though I supposedly got two types planted, they all seem to be the same size and appearance. I just don't want to devote any more space to an otherwise low quality fruit producer. Their space is not an issue, but at some point, I might just dig them up and plant a small ruit tree there instead.

  • oklahawg
    18 years ago

    Two of my three are painfully scraggly. The other is growing aggressively in comparison. I've had some tiny blue things follow the blossoms but never have had fruit stick around. At some point they may well be purged in favor of something more interesting and productive.

  • murkwell
    18 years ago

    I saw these at the Portland farmer's market at the One Green World stand and was intrigued. One Green World had a fruit tree sale a few weeks ago (the last day they were open to the public for the year). They were offering samples and one of the things was honeyberry.

    The berries were thawed and unsweetened. They were very tart and the flavor didn't seem very complex. I decided Iw as glad I hadn't bought them, although maybe these weren't fully ripe or weren't a particularly tasty variety. These were the ones that the nursery chose to share with prospective buyers though, fwiw.

    They did have a very good price on evergreen huckleberries (compared to Raintree) I think they were 3/$21 compared to $18 apiece or something like that. I now have one from Raintree which is maybe 25% bigger than the others and 6 from One Green world. I'm fortunate in that I live about halfway in between the two. Well, under an hour to One Green World and just under 2 to Raintree. If I owned my own truck or van I would have visited Raintree this season. I just can't bear the thought of driving 2 hours there in my sedan only to see a balled and burlapped tree that I must have.

  • ksrogers
    18 years ago

    This year, has been the first time I have seen the long blue berries. Just a few dozen per plant, and most near the tops. I tasted several and found them to be a bit tart and lacked any kind of decent flavor. Compared to a blueberry, these don't even come close. I'll leave the 4 bushes there, as they are small at about 2 foot height only and have not had any problems as far as pests bothering them. With the few I have, they can't even make a single jar of jelly.

  • winter_unfazed
    17 years ago

    The honeyberry, native to Siberia, is hardy to zone 3, and some varieties may be hardy to zone 2.

  • mersiepoo_yahoo_com
    17 years ago

    I bought two honeyberries and planted them 2 years ago. I don't know if it's the location or what (they have pretty good soil, and some shade), but they haven't grown hardly at all! The one (I got bluebird and blue bell) died this year, but I think it came back near the end of the season. I'll find out if it's still living in the spring, I guess. I think they don't like being fertilized though, I know that at www.parkseed.com they say they don't need it (maybe that's what I'm doing wrong, I don't know). I don't think they like a higher ph soil either, this could be the culprit as I sprinkled some lime on the soil near them too. The 2nd year after planting them, I got 3 flowers on the one larger bush, but microscopic fruit. Not sure if some strains are just better than others. I just wish seed companies would give better horticultural info on some of their plants. Hopefully they will do better in 2007. We are having such a mild year this year in Pa, even my p nigra (henon) bamboo will probably do great!

  • propag8
    17 years ago

    There are two main kinds of honeyberry: early blooming and late blooming. If you look in the One Green World catalog (or possibly on their web site www.onegreenworld.com), you'll see the varieties sorted by early and late. Last year's catalog also had advice on which is better to plant in which part of the country. There is some variety of the growth habit and appearance even among the early and late blooming cultivars.

    To propagate, you have to take cuttings at the correct time. Take green cuttings when there's a lot of new growth, but don't use the softest tips. Wait until you have some material that isn't terribly flexible, but isn't yet rigid. They require mist and bottom heat, a coarse prop soil--don't let them get too hot, and don't let the soil dry out. Thicker cuttings will have a better rooting percentage, but not if they're woody.

    The fruit varies in sweetness, depending on the cultivar. Some people like it tart, some prefer sweet. It makes wonderful jam and juice. It's one of the first plants of the season to bear fruit, but the birds know that too. Robins love it and will pick the plants clean before you even know you have fruit.

  • george_23
    17 years ago

    I'm not a plant expert, but the true honey berry (celtis australis) is a tree that gets to about 60 feet tall. I have one I ordered and planted about 10 years ago from Oregon Exotics when they were still in business and it's about 30 feet tall. I have also planted the blue honeysuckle plant (lonicern caerulea edulis) that you refer to it's fruit as "honeyberry". The fruit was like an over ripe cherry - it was juicy, kinda sweet, but not something great, just a novility.

  • marbles_n_the_garden
    17 years ago

    I purchased a few honeyberry plants in the summer before last ('04). Not much going on yet, but they put up with being stuck in pots and nearly drying out before I got them in. They came back in spring ('05), and I plan to move them, but I'll wait to see blossoms or fruits first.
    Robin

  • lkz5ia
    17 years ago

    Honeyberry seems to lack vigor. I don't have patience for lame plants, so we'll see if my two decide to survive.

  • carol17_gardener
    16 years ago

    I planted 2 honeyberry shrubs a year ago& got a few handfuls of fairly nice sized berries; They are a bit tarter than blueberries, but i liked them. A neighbour who grows fruit for sale has some, and I really liked their taste in a pie, so I'll be planting more.

  • mulchwoman
    16 years ago

    Hi
    I hope this didnt get posted twice.
    I just ordered 2 honeyberry plants (Blue Belle and Berry Blue).
    Hoping to find our further news about them and how they have performed since the earlier postings.
    Any advice welcomed.
    Pat

  • denninmi
    15 years ago

    I planted 2 honeyberry bushes a few years back. I can't remember the exact varieties. One is MUCH larger than the other, and, ironically, the smaller bush has the larger berries.

    But, I really like this fruit. Yes, it is slightly bitter tasting when raw, but it makes a fantastic pie. Honeyberry pie has become an annual tradition in my house. I make it with half Splenda and half sugar, since I'm a diabetic, and I only get a small slice, but, yum.

  • cmmwiebe_gmail_com
    15 years ago

    I have about 150 plants most of which are seedlings. Seedlings from a japanese seed source fruited this summer and we had them in pie, jam and as a fruit filled deep fried dough (my favourite). They were a little tart but I did harvest early to ensure that I would get fruit from all the plants that had some. Robins and Cedar Waxwings are big enemies as they are very persistant even with netting. I am looking forward to next year as a second group of seedlings will fruit which are a cross with Blue Belle, Berry Blue and Blue Velvet. To me they really do have potential but the selection process is still early in the North American context. They are well known through most of Europe and into Western Russia as a garden plant but the source is Eastern Russia and Northern China and Japans' Hokkaido Island.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Honeysuckle Blog

  • cmmwiebe
    15 years ago

    I am wondering if anyone kept some berries from their harvest (ie; frozen) and would be able to send me a few seeds. I would want to have some idea as to the source and if another pollinator was present.

    Clayton

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Honeysuckle Blog

  • nononoall
    14 years ago

    Michigan Bulb has an Arbor Day Sale on thru April 27, 2009 on Wild Honey Honeyberry 10.39, and Honey Sweet for 12.99. This is the lowest price on the web I could find. I don't like spending a lot on trying something out. I hated the $18.99-19.99 prices I found all over the web on the honeyberries. I do intend to try them out but overall the forums have been more negative than positive on these new introductions. I still like to decide for myself however and I am going into this with eyes wide open. Barbara

  • lilrdhen
    14 years ago

    I have two honeyberry bushes and love them. They have produced an abundance of berries that have quite a bitter taste. I have been trying to find a recipe for making jelly with the juice and have been unsuccessful. Does anyone have any suggestions how to get rid of the bitter taste, or does this go away once it is cooked?

  • denninmi
    14 years ago

    I've found that further ripening of the berries off the bush, on the kitchen counter, for one to two days after picking, helps to minimize the slight bitterness. Just have to watch out for mold developing, since the fruit is soft and fragile. Helps to carefully pour them out on a single layer on a cookie sheet, so that the air can get to them. Although I haven't tried this, I suspect that putting the cookie sheet in a plastic bag with a very ripe bannana or apple would help ripen them even faster, due to the effects of the ethylene gas.

  • yielder
    13 years ago

    Looking for info?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Edible Blue Honeysuckle Gardeners

  • anutichek_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    I see that a lot of comments are somewhat dated, but I thought I leave my comments just in case. I'm from Siberia living in Chicago now, and Honeyberries are very dear to my heart. after a long search I 've found out their name in English and very excited to plant them in my garden. Several people were asking about their taste, well from the first person experience they are wonderful. they are the first of the edible berries to ripen. in the place people grew their own food, berries so early in season are treasured. they do have bitterness in them, but it is not unpleasant, it actually adds the sophistication to their flavor. in my home country, people usually just eat them fresh while they last ( as they're believed to be full of vitamins)and freeze them whole for later. I would recommend everybody interested to give them a try. the bushes do have ornamental interest as well. Depending on the variety some have more silvery leaves, and others have larger fruits which look beautifully on the bush, but again form my experience, the best tasting fruits come from a regular green leaved variety with smaller fruits , which have more of that bitter taste compared to the larger sweeter honeyberries.

  • lkz5ia
    13 years ago

    I've ate some for first time this year, and can say I rather call them blue honeysuckle than honeyberry. Honeyberry name makes it sound like they are going to be sweet, but I have not found that to be true. I think they would be good utilizing like people utilize sour cherries, not for fresh eating, but baking and cooking.etc.

    A read one person described the taste as when first bite into it, has blueberry taste, then quickly turns into grapefruit flavor. That sounds about like my experience with them. I do love them though, cuz its my earliest fruit, so its worth having a sour explosion in my mouth, if it means I get to have fruit in May.

  • cmmwiebe
    13 years ago

    This is sure an old thread. Completely forgot that I had posted here at one time.
    We were up to about 350 plants this year but are thinning out as I have made selections for further work in trying to find some marketable plants.
    This year here in the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan area was very wet so the plant growth was phenomenal. In many cases I pruned as I wen to get as many berries as I could. The flavours were probably more tart than they would have been on a normal year as we were wet and cool which draws up the tannins(as in tea) which are strong flavoured. Still the fruit made great jam and jelly and pies. Also good in a fruit crumble but it can give a very intense flavour. My wife has made pies with a mix of EBH (Edible blue Honeysuckle) and blueberries and that is very good!

    Note some comments about growing further south and you will certainly find the plants do funny things as they really need the cold to hot to cold for proper growth. They tend to shut down during summer heat but will start up again if the temperature drops to 10 Celsius (50F)or less and then warms up; even flowering and producing fruit if the season carries on long enough.
    Anutichek I have sent you email.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Blue Honeysuckle Blog

  • sarah93
    13 years ago

    I have two bushes left by the previous owner of our property. They're both about 5 feet tall and quite vigorous; apparently quite happy with our upstate NY climate. One is a Blue Belle; the other is not labeled. I can't say I'm terribly impressed. The Blue Belle produces a few berries; the other shrub almost none. The berries are good but somewhat bland. I'll let them stay, but I won't plant more.

    Interesting, I was in the Altai Mountains in Siberia in July, and at a certain elevation, these bushes are everywhere and at the time were producing tons of berries. I tried a lot of them, and every single one was (to me) inedibly bitter, but many of the Russians with whom I traveled seemed to like them. I asked our guide (a local woman) about them, and she said that her mother has 3 bushes in her yard---one is incredibly sweet, one is horribly bitter and the other is way too sour. I guess they vary quite a lot in taste!

  • yielder
    13 years ago

    Clayton,

    Interesting that I had a couple of my Haskap plants flower for a second time in early August and produce berries in early September. Not many and certainly not enough to consider saying that I had a second crop.

    Interesting, nonetheless. The longer I have these plants, the more I see unusual behaviour.

    Mike

    Here is a link that might be useful: Edible Blue Honeysuckle

  • cmmwiebe
    13 years ago

    Sarah93 - can you hide me in your bag next time. That is exactly what I would like to do to find gardeners who might have selected or grown from seed in the Russian villages and farms. I think it is not uncommon that good plants get missed by researchers just because they cannot be everywhere and the local folks don't realize they have a good find. Lucky you to even get to try them in their home zone! And the old varieties are not much better than what you would find in the wild. I think the flavours, at least from our experience, are determined by soil and temp to a great degree.

    Mike - They are prone to do this and if the frost does not get too severe they will finish. I noticed here that the black currant bushes have triggered new buds and will likely leaf out if the weather continues to moderate. We had some serious cold nights but little frost. Just like spring! As a side note about the EBH, I am seeing new growth on the stumps of plants which I pruned right off to discard. This probably was stimulated by the cold nights and cool days of the past several weeks.

  • njbiology
    13 years ago

    I'm all-for unsual fruits, even when they don't taste that great. Yet, with honeyberry, the fruit is 100% replaceable and, thereby, upgradeable by the blueberry; I see no unique advantage to this bitter, less-flavorful "blueberry" taste-analog.

    I have 3 popular cultivars - is it the soil? or am I right about this?

    Steve

  • leeduigon_verizon_net
    12 years ago

    My 2 bushes are still alive and this year one of them is looking pretty good. I have not had blossoms or fruit from either of them.
    Maybe next year.

  • leeduigon_verizon_net
    12 years ago

    Hooray.. one of the bushes has a lot of nice blossoms on it. The other one however has no blossoms at all and no sign of any. At least it's some progress. Hope to get some fruit this year as these were planted in 2008.

  • nanokitty
    12 years ago

    We got a nice crop of honeyberries this year (Blue Moon, Blue Velvet). They're not bitter or sour at all - in fact, Blue Moon tastes a lot like some european plums I've had. The trick is to not pick them too early -- they turn dark blue WAY before the berries are ripe. If you bite one in half, the the berry and juice should be solidly blue/purple throughout. If there's any green or pink they aren't ready. For me, these bushes are definite keepers.

  • lkz5ia
    12 years ago

    haha only problem is that birds get them if don't pick them soon enough. So far ones I've tried have been sour, so either picking them too early, or just are like that. I've seen them fall to the ground though, so I think that would seem ripe stage, unless wind was doing it.

  • mrfarrell_alaska_edu
    12 years ago

    Interesting reading everyone's experiences with honeyberries. I'm in Fairbanks, Alaska, and have 4 plants (each one a different variety) that are now 6 years old. They all look slightly different and the berries taste different. They make a fantastic jam or pie filling. But the best thing (imho) is how fast they produce berries. Mine began blooming the 3rd week of May this year and we picked the first crop on Father's Day in June. We got about 1 quart of berries per bush (not counting all the ones that went into our mouths while we picked!) There are that many again on each bush that are ready to pick now. They are delicious but you do have to let them ripen otherwise they are sour. The bushes take no care whatsoever EXCEPT you have to net them or the robins will strip you clean in a few hours. We are completely sold on these berries and look forward to them every year (ours set fruit beginning in year 2). I would love to see a nutritional analysis of them.

  • mulchwoman
    11 years ago

    I planted mine in 2008 and have had zip. I had blossoms on one this year well before the other one blossomed. I sternly told them if I don't get anything this year they are history as my garden is so tiny I don't have the room for anything that doesn't produce. I have the 2 recommended varieties and they are most definitely healthy, but as far as producing any fruit...nope.
    Pat

  • chills71
    11 years ago

    mulchwoman. What varieties did you get (so one can avoid them if they're shy bearing)? Are you sure they bloom at the same time or that they are not the same variety (a nursery mix-up) I just ordered one myself (I know I need two)...

    offer them up for trade, perhaps you will get a taker...

    ~Chills

  • nicknick119
    11 years ago

    How much space would honey berry typically need for the roots? I have a couple places in mind for where I could put them, but the place I am thinking of is right next to sidewalk. Is 1-2 square feet of soil enough as long as it has room to grow down, or are the roots shallow like a lot of desert plants? And would the roots be invasive like tree roots, or would they stop if they came up to sidewalk?

  • muriel129
    10 years ago

    I have 2 honeyberries different varieties both fruiting. (can't remember the names but I think one began with a "K") The fruits are now about 1 cm long and blue. I tasted one and immediately spit it out it was horrible and bitter. Does anyone know if they sweeten up if I leave them on the plant

  • Bradybb WA-Zone8
    10 years ago

    Hi muriel,
    I have two different varieties also,that are the Japanese type,Haskap.
    The first year they fruited,I had about the same reaction and wondered why the name,Honeyberry.
    This year though,the berries on one plant do have a more sweeter somewhat honey-like flavor.
    The other plant's berries are more sour,probably because it lost a good part of the leaves for some reason.
    I waited until just barely touching the fruit made them fall,so maybe your will sweeten with time.
    Remember though,they are not Blueberries. Brady

  • Charlie
    10 years ago

    I purchased two compatible honeyberry plants (celebrity and another unknown variety), that I have temporarily placed in pots while waiting the completion of my patio. Yesterday, I completed the raised beds on the border of my patio where I will plant the two honeyberries and three (male and 2 female) fuzzy kiwi plants. The Kiwis will run up chains near three of the 4 pergola posts and cover the pergola (eventually). The honey berries will be place near the two patio walls.

  • Bradybb WA-Zone8
    10 years ago

    That's cool Charlie.

  • fignewbies
    9 years ago

    Hi:

    I live in Ontario, Canada.
    I am new to Honey Berry or Haskap?
    Right now, I am turning the soil to prepare planting the Honey Berry.
    Could anyone please tell me what fertilizers are good for this berry?

    For now, I am thinking of puting a lot of grass clipping, kitchen waste into the soil. When autumn comes, I will be putting a lot of
    fallen leaves into the soil for preparation.

  • Bradybb WA-Zone8
    9 years ago

    They are not too particular with fertilizer.10-10-10 is what I use.Honeyberry USA states,"Most soils are adequate to sustain honeyberry plants. Composted manure may be applied in the spring".Brady

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