Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Balsors Blackberry - TreeTime.ca

Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Balsors Blackberry

Lonicera caerulea Honey Bee

Rubus fruticosus Balsors

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Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry)
Balsors Blackberry

Honey Bee Haskap produces tarter fruit than the Aurora and Borealis varieties and is known for bearing fruit at a younger age. The flavour of Haskaps is generally described as a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry. Honey Bee Haskaps are well suited to fresh eating, freezing, baking, and preserves.

The Honey Bee Haskap has stronger fruit holds than other varieties so the berries stay on the bush longer. The berries do not roll well so they are not recommended for mechanical harvesting.

Cross-pollination is required for Haskaps to set fruit. They need to be planted with a compatible variety. Compatibility is influenced by both bloom time and genetics.

Honey Bee Haskap is an early-pollinating variety and pairs well with Aurora, Borealis, Tundra, and Indigo Gem.

The Balsors Blackberry is a cold-hardy variety that produces very large, sweet and juicy blackberries late in the summer. They are great for baking and fresh eating.

Balsors Blackberry are floricanes, primarily fruiting on second year canes. Each spring cut back all two-year old canes, leaving only the last year’s growth. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn’t require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry) Quick Facts

Balsors Blackberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: elongate blue berries ripen in late June. Delicate skinned, tarter than Borealis and Tundra Haskaps
Berries: black
Fruit size: large
Firmness: soft
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: August
Bark: has thorns
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: low




Other Names: balsors hardy blackberry, illinois blackberry