Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Mountain Huckleberry - TreeTime.ca

Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Mountain Huckleberry

Vaccinium membranaceum

Lonicera caerulea Honey Bee

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Mountain Huckleberry
Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry)

Mountain Huckleberry is a small shrub known for its tart to sweet berries. The berries range from purple-black to red-black, and can be eaten fresh or used in jams and syrups. It is a plant native to Alberta and the berries are frequently enjoyed by both people and wildlife.

In traditional Indigenous fire management practices, berry patches were burned after harvest. This would reduce the invasion of other plants allowing the Mountain Huckleberry to thrive. Its foliage has low flammability and can survive low severity fires, and even if destroyed they regrow from the roots.

Note: Mountain Huckleberry requires specific soil conditions. They need moist, well-drained, acidic soil with a pH around 5.5.

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.

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.

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

Mountain Huckleberry Quick Facts

Honey Bee Haskap (Honeyberry) Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: dark purple
Berries: elongate blue berries ripen in late June. Delicate skinned, tarter than Borealis and Tundra Haskaps
Flavor: sweet, acidic
Harvest: mid to late summer
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: none




Other Names: big huckleberry, black huckleberry, tall bilberry, thinleaf huckleberry