Lonicera Yezberry® Honey Bunch™

Fruiting Honeysuckles are new to many of us, but they may just be the wave of the future. Their blue berries are loaded with nutrition -- more vitamins, antioxidants, and potassium than either blueberries or pomegranates! -- and they arise by the bucketful in summer. And this harvest is just one of Yezberry® Honey Bunch's™ many merits!

A Japanese strain, Lonicera caerulea is a dwarf shrub with an upright habit. This isn't your traditional big, sprawling Honeysuckle vine: it reaches only 3 to 5 feet high and wide, and it flowers in early spring rather than summer. You will recognize the blooms, though: they are tubular and yellow, just like always. The difference is that they are followed by masses of yummy berries.

The flavor of Haskap (that's the branding name for the berry) has been described as a mix of blueberry and raspberry, but we think there's a bit of something more floral -- mango? -- in there too. Oblong and dark blue, they are easy to harvest and make splendid jams, jellies, and pie filling as well as stand-out additions to salads and side dishes. Of course, most of the berries won't make it into the kitchen -- they are too irresistible eaten straight off the shrub!

Honey Bunch™ is a late fruiter, and should be planted alongside another variety of Haskap -- possibly one of the Russian varieties, such as Sweet Mountain.™ The two shrubs will cross-pollinate, increasing the yields of both!