Borealis Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Grouseberry - TreeTime.ca

Borealis Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Grouseberry

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Borealis Haskap (Honeyberry)
Grouseberry

Borealis Haskap is a popular variety due to its great-tasting, sweet-tart berries. The flavour of Haskaps is generally described as a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry. Borealis Haskaps are well suited to fresh eating, baking, and preserves.

It has strong fruit holds and is not very firm so it does not do well when handled by equipment. This variety is a favourite for home gardens and U-Picks.

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.

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

Grouseberry is a native, low-growing deciduous shrub known for its edible red berries. In early summer, it produces small, urn-shaped flowers ranging from white to pink that attract bees and other pollinators. The berries provide an important food source for many types of wildlife, including game birds such as grouse, which gives the plant its common name. People can also enjoy the berries fresh or in baked goods, though they can be difficult to harvest in large quantities.

Spreading by rhizomes, Grouseberry forms dense, broom-like mats that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, while also providing cover for ground-nesting wildlife. It is commonly found beneath conifers in open forests, subalpine meadows, and occasionally on rocky slopes in mountainous regions. It is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and soil stabilization projects.

Borealis Haskap (Honeyberry) Quick Facts

Grouseberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: shade, partial shade
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish
Flowers: small pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: spring
Berries: berries are large; berries are similar to blueberries but larger and have a taste between raspberry and blueberry; ready for harvest at the end of June
Berries: small, bright red, edible
Flavor: tart
Harvest: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: dwarf red whortleberry, grouse whortleberry, little-leaved huckleberry, red alpine blueberry, small-leaved huckleberry