Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Sweet Gale - TreeTime.ca

Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Sweet Gale

Lonicera caerulea Boreal Beauty

Myrica gale

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

CUSTOM GROW

Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry)
Sweet Gale

Boreal Beauty Haskap produces sweet/tart berries that have a great flavour. The flavour of Haskaps is generally described as a cross between a blueberry and a raspberry. Boreal Beast Haskaps are well suited to fresh eating, freezing, baking, and preserves.

The berries are heavy, firm, and have a great branch hold. They are firm enough to withstand 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.

Boreal Beauty Haskap is a late-pollinating variety and pairs well with Boreal Beast.

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.

Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry) Quick Facts

Sweet Gale Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 2.4 m (8 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: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright, thicket-forming
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low


Foliage: dotted with yellow glands, sweet scented
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: reddish-purple, dotted with yellow glands
Flowers: pale yellow
Berries: large, purple blue
Flavor: raspberry-blueberry taste
Harvest: late July - mid August
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: boreal beauty honeyberry, haskap, honeyberry
Other Names: bog myrtle, meadow-fern, sweet bayberry, sweetgale