Honeyberry
Lonicera caerulea
Honeyberry is an extremely hardy shrub that produces elongated blue berries tasting like a mix of blueberry and raspberry, ripening earlier than strawberries. Unlike blueberries, it does not need acidic soil.
Photo: Opioła Jerzy (Poland) · CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Keep moist while fruiting.
Soil
Most well-drained soils; pH 5.5–7.5.
Temperature and humidity
-40–30 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed in spring with a balanced fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings
Thin old stems after year five.
Honeyberries are edible. Do not confuse them with ornamental honeysuckle berries, which are not.
Top Cultivation Tips
Plant two compatible varieties for pollination.
Net against birds.
Taste before picking; berries turn blue before they are sweet.
Hardy in USDA zones 2–7.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseasePowdery mildew
A fungal disease that coats leaves, buds and young shoots with a white, flour-like dust, weakening the plant and spoiling flowers and fruit.
How to treat it →
