Species honeyberry
Violet fruit with green leaves, yellow stems, white hair, brown branches, yellow midrib veins and blades.

honeyberry

Lonicera caerulea var. edulis

Honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea var. edulis) is a deciduous shrub in the honeysuckle family. It grows up to two meters in height and produces an abundance of small, edible, blue-black berries. Its sweet taste resembles a combination of blueberries and blackberries, with low acidity and a hint of honey. Honeyberries are packed with nutrition and antioxidants, including large amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and potassium. Easy to grow, Honeyberries are great for any garden or landscape, and they make a delicious low calorie snack.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Cutting,Layering Propagation,Grafting Propagation,Division,Seed Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

2 - 7

Flowers:

Creamy white Flowers

Sun:

Full sun,part shade

Fruits:

blue,purple Fruits Ready In Summer

Edible:

Yes

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

High

Maintenance:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Moderate

watering

Honeyberry plants should be watered deeply every 7-10 days during the hot summer months. During cooler weather, water less frequently. The soil should be kept moist but not saturated; you can test the moisture by pressing a finger into the soil. If the soil does not stick to your finger, the plant needs to be watered. make sure to water the soil around the base of the plant, avoiding the leaves. Be careful not to overwater your honeyberry plants. Too much water can cause the leaves and roots to die.

sunlight

Honeyberry plants need full sun to partial shade to thrive. During the growing season, they require 4-6 hours of sunlight each day. They prefer as much sun as possible from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, so this is the ideal time for sunlight exposure. In the winter months, direct sunlight should be avoided as too much sunlight can cause the plant's leaves to burn. It's best to give honeyberry plants a south, east or west exposure for maximum sun exposure during the growing season, but avoid a west or south exposure in the winter.

pruning

The exact timing and amount of pruning depends on the size and type of honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea var. edulis) plant, however, as a general rule of thumb, an annual pruning is recommended. For small plants, pruning may begin in the early spring when dormancy is broken, and continue through early summer. Where flower buds have already developed, this should be done just after flowering. The main goal of pruning should be to encourage healthy growth by thinning out old, congested and diseased branches, as well as removing any branches that cross each other or grow outward instead of skyward. To ensure a good harvest, it is recommended to thin out congested shoots, as well as branches that grow downward and inward, allowing enough space between each branch to let light and air in. To keep plants compact and prevent spreading, hard pruning may be done in winter. Prune damaged, diseased and weak shoots, as well as side shoots growing below the lower bud.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Honeyberry typically starts flowering in April.

Harvest Fruit

The best time to start harvesting the fruits from Lonicera caerulea var. edulis, or honeyberry, is typically in June or July.

Hardiness Map