Blue Belle Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Aronia Berry
Aronia melanocarpa
Lonicera caerulea Blue Belle
ONLY AVAILABLE BY CONTRACT GROW
Aronia Berry produces black fruit that is often considered too astringent. This is why they are also referred to as Black Chokeberry. It is native to Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States. White to pink flowers appear in the spring which provides a nice contrast to the dark green foliage. In fall the leaves turn a vibrant orange to red.
It has a fast growth rate, strong roots, and can tolerate growing in wet soils. This makes it well suited for various projects including forming hedges, bank stabilization, erosion control, and in wetter riparian areas. They are also well suited as an understory plant as it grows well under other trees.
Aronia berries have their own unique flavour. The polyphenols and anthocyanins are touted as healthy antioxidants and lots of research seems to be underway on the health benefits of this fruit.
Blue Belle Honeyberry is a hardy deciduous shrub. This variety produces larger quantities of bigger berries than the other Haskap varieties. Blue Belle Honeyberry's fruit is perfect for jam and jelly making.
Blue Belle is an early pollinating variety. Pair with other early pollinators to have a higher yield.
Aurora and Tundra are great companion varieties.