Blackcurrant vs Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry)
Ribes nigrum
Lonicera caerulea Boreal Beauty
Blackcurrant is a medium-sized shrub producing delicious, deep purple to black sweet berries suitable for jams, jellies, syrups and cordial.
Our Blackcurrant is grown from seed from the "Ben" series of Blackcurrant cultivars, developed by the Mylnefield Research Station in Scotland with a focus on cold hardiness and heavy commercial fruit production. Our seedlings will be slightly different due to hereditary differences but will be very similar to this series.
Boreal Beauty Haskap produces sweet/tart berries that have a great flavour. The flavour of Haskaps is generally described as a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry. Boreal Beast Haskaps are well suited to fresh eating, freezing, baking, and preserves.
The berries are heavy, firm, and have a great branch hold. They are firm enough to withstand mechanical harvesting.
For optimal fruit production, cross-pollination is required. Haskaps need to be planted with a compatible variety. Compatibility is influenced by both bloom time and genetics.
Boreal Beauty Haskap is a late-pollinating variety that pairs well with Boreal Beast.