Aronia Berry vs Honey Queen Raspberry
Aronia melanocarpa
Rubus x Honey Queen
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.
Honey Queen Raspberry is known for its sweet honey flavor and unique yellow color. Its berries are soft and medium-sized, nice for picking and eating in the summer.
Honey Queen was developed in Rocky Mountain House by Robert Erskine and is very winter hardy. Canes are yellowish, floricane, arched and moderately spiny.
Honey Queen should be trellised upright for best results. While all raspberries prefer the sun, Honey Queen is the best option for planting in shady areas.
The Honey Queen Raspberry is a fast-growing floricane. This means that raspberries will not grow on canes the year they first grow. The mature canes they do grow on, however, produce more berries than primocane varieties.
Check out some video of a Honey Queen Raspberry we saw this summer on our YouTube Channel. Click here.