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Honeyberries
   

Honeyberries (Siberian honeysuckle - Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica)

The honeyberry or blue honeysuckle is native to Siberia and other parts of North and North East Asia. The juicy, tasty fruits are highly valued by the indigenous people of Kamchatka.

Related to the native Irish honeysuckle but is a small shrub, not a climber. Grows to 1.5-2.1 metres depending on variety. Produces elongated blue fruit with hints of blueberry/damson flavour, only more acid. In spite of its Siberian origins, it requires a warm, dry and sunny spot to do well and is vulnerable to wind. It prefers well drained, moist, slightly to moderately acid soils high in organic content. The flowers are extremely tolerant of frost.

To ensure good pollination plant two or more varieties. All varieties fruit very early in the season, typically mid-June to mid July. The flowers are very attractive to bees.

Container-grown plants (supplied all year round subject to availability)
   
1 plant 2 plants 3-9 plants 10-49 plants 50-199 plants 200+ plants
Named varieties, P9 container *
n/a
n/a
n/a
3.65
3.30
2.95
Named varieties, 3L container
10.00
9.00
8.10
7.20
6.50
5.90
* Can be sent by post. The 3L size are not available 2020/21

 

Varieties

Aurora                              
University of Saskatchewan, parentage: Russian cultivar ‘Solovey’ and Japanese cultivar ‘MT46.55’. Released to propagators in 2012. Erect, thick and compact growth habit, 1.6 m high. Flowers mid May, fruits late June to late July. Not self fertile (pollinator Larisa). Very tasty berries averaging 1.9g. Available November 2020

Bakczarskij Velikan                           
Russian cultivar 2005. Vigorous variety reaching 1.9m high. One of the earliest selections here, fruiting early June to beginning of July. Not self fertile (pollinators Silginka and Vostorg. Large sweet berries. Available November 2020

Blue Velvet    (Kiev#8/Kamtschatika)                           
Compact bush, smaller fruits, late fruiting. In our trials of 2011/12 this was the best performing variety (none of the other varieties listed here were part of that trial). Suggested pollinator, Aurora. Available November 2020

Borealis                              
University of Saskatchewan, parentage: Kurile cultivar ‘Kiev#8’ and Russian cultivar ‘Tomiczka’. Released to propagators in 2007. Thick and compact growth habit, 1.2 m high. Flowers mid May, fruit from mid June to early July. Relatively larger fruit, average fruit weight 1.6 g, boxy shape, sweet and tart taste. Available November 2020

Gordost Bakczara                            
Russian cultivar 2007. Compact variety growing to 1.6m with 1.2m spread. Fruiting mid June to mid July. Not self fertile (pollinators Vostorg and Bakczarskij Velikan). Large sweet-acid berries. Available November 2020

Honeybee                              
University of Saskatchewan. Russian hybrid (‘Suvenir’ and ‘Blue Pacific’). Selected to be a pollinator for ‘Borealis’, ‘Tundra’ and the ‘Indigo’ series. Fast growing shrub up to 1.8 m high. Fruit from mid June to early July. Very high yields.

Larisa (Wojtek/Purple Passion)                              
Polish cultivar developed by Sophia Łukaszewska. Vigorous, growing to 1.8 m x 1.5m wide (pollinator Maries). Not self fertile. Prolific producer of medium sized berries, more tart than Maries (below). Fruits mid June to mid July. Available November 2020

Maries (Tola/Purple Veil)                              
Polish cultivar, also from Sophia Łukaszewska. Vigorous, growing to 1.8 m x 1.2m wide. Not self fertile (pollinator Larisa). Prolific producer of sweet, medium sized berries. Fruits mid June to mid July. Available November 2020

Ruth (Iga/Purple Wave)                              
Polish cultivar, also from Sophia Łukaszewska. Vigorous, growing to 1.8 m x 1.2m wide. Not self fertile (pollinator Larisa). Prolific producer of sweet, medium sized berries. Fruits mid June to mid July. Available November 2020

Silginka                             
Russian cultivar, 2004. Compact variety growing to 1.5m high with 1.2m spread. Not self fertile (pollinators Vostorg and Bakczarskij Velikan). Medium sized fruits mid June to early July, spindle shaped, sweet and aromatic.Available November 2020

Tomiczka                             
Russian cultivar, 1987. Grows up to 1.5 m. Not self fertile. Large quantities of small to medium sized berries, sweet and sour. Mid June to early July.

Tundra                             
University of Saskatchewan, 2007. Grows to 1.5m. Not self fertile. Medium sized berries, tangy and sweet. Mid June to early July.

Vostorg                             
Russian cultivar, 2012. Vigorous variety growing to 1.8m high with 1.8m spread. Not self fertile (pollinators Silginka and Bakczarskij Velikan). Large fruits mid June to early July, spindle shaped, tasty and sweet. Available November 2020