Indigo Gem Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Sweet Gale - TreeTime.ca

Indigo Gem Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Sweet Gale

Lonicera caerulea Indigo Gem

Myrica gale

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Indigo Gem Haskap (Honeyberry)
Sweet Gale

Indigo Gem Haskap produces firm, sweet/tangy berries. The flavour of Haskaps is generally described as a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry. Indigo Gem Haskaps are well suited to fresh eating, freezing, baking, and preserves.

The fruit is similar in size and firmness to the Tundra variety, making it suitable for commercial production or your home garden.

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.

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

Sweet Gale is a native, nitrogen-fixing shrub known for its aromatic foliage. Tiny glands on the leaves release a balmy, bay leaf-like scent with floral and citrus notes. In spring, the yellowish male catkins provide one of the earliest sources of pollen for bees and other insects. While later in the season, the female catkins produce seeds that are eaten by waterfowl. Sweet Gale is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers occur on separate plants.

Sweet Gale thrives in wet, acidic soils and is commonly found along wetlands and lakeshores. It can help stabilize shorelines, while its dense growth provides valuable cover for wildlife. It is well-suited for naturalization, wetland restoration, and erosion control projects.

Indigo Gem Haskap (Honeyberry) Quick Facts

Sweet Gale Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright, thicket-forming
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: none


Foliage: dotted with yellow glands, sweet scented
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: reddish-purple, dotted with yellow glands
Berries: elongated berries, firm and great tasting (sweet tangy)
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: haskap, haskap sk 9-15, honeyberry, indigo gem honeyberry
Other Names: bog myrtle, meadow-fern, sweet bayberry, sweetgale