Honeyberry

Honeyberry

Honeyberry
Lonicera caerulea

Honeyberry, also known as haskap, is a cold-loving native perennial crop that grows nutritious, oval-shaped fruits. The berries are used for fresh-eating, wine-making, ice cream, and adding vitamins to other products. Can be machine-harvestable.

DRAINAGE: Moderately to well-drained preferred but can tolerate poorly drained soils
LIGHT: Full sun
ZONES: 2–7
SPACING: 3-4 ft in-row, 12–14 ft between rows
YEARS TO PARTIAL/FULL BEARING: 3–4
HARVEST SEASON: June–August

Opportunities

Honeyberry is a low-maintenance crop that fits well in farm systems with other native perennial berry crops, such as black currant and aronia, which share similar harvesting and processing equipment. Honeyberry has an advantage of early season ripening before many other crops.

Challenges

Consumer familiarity and market opportunities for honeyberry are underdeveloped, and few variety trials exist for crop improvement that would allow this crop to thrive in warmer climates.

Management

Low pest pressure and few diseases. Light pruning required in late winter. Wind can damage plants during winter, so windbreak protection is recommended. There are few examples of livestock integration with honeyberry, as most animals enjoy eating the berries and ruminants will strip the leaves while plants are young.

Our Research

Commercialization staff lead market research and development on honeyberry and other Midwest berries, including black currant and aronia.

RESOURCE

Honeyberry

Honeyberry

Learn About More Berry Crops in the Midwest

We’ve collected some clips of key perennial crops grown by Midwestern farmers. Let’s get started with small fruits!

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Get help planning your perennial farm system. Our Technical Service Program is here to guide you through the process of planning, funding, and planting trees on your farm.

Hazelnut saplings in protective tubes grow in field as part of agroforestry research at Savanna Institute's Valley Farm, Spring Green, Wisconsin.

Looking For Plants?

Canopy’s Nursery offers plant material in your region. Find chestnut, walnut, pecan, hazelnut, heartnut, persimmon, pawpaw, black currant, and elderberry for order in their online store. Not only does Canopy increase the availability of high-quality plant material in the region, it also donates part of its proceeds to Savanna Institute’s nonprofit research and education mission.

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