Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Black Crowberry - TreeTime.ca

Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Black Crowberry

Lonicera caerulea Boreal Beauty

Empetrum nigrum

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Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry)
Black Crowberry

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 that pairs well with Boreal Beast.

Black Crowberry is a native evergreen shrub that forms low, spreading mats. It has unique foliage that spiral around the stem, and small dark berries, giving it visual appeal. The berries are edible, but can be acidic, so are not generally eaten fresh. In colder climates they have a sweet, tart taste, and are dried, used in deserts, or for making jams or jellies.
It provides food for birds and mammals, while its flowers attract pollinators such as bees. Its ability to grow in harsh climates makes it an important species for ecological balance.
Black Crowberry has historical significance as it provided a vital food source for the indigenous cultures of the arctic regions. It is abundant in Scandinavia and is used to make liqueurs, wines, and juices. In Newfoundland and Labrador the berries are known locally as ‘blackberries’ and are used in jams, jellies and baked goods like buns and puddings.

Boreal Beauty Haskap (Honeyberry) Quick Facts

Black Crowberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.4 m (1.3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, matt-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low


Foliage: evergreen needle-like leaves
Flowers: pale yellow
Flowers: pink-red, very small
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Berries: large, purple blue
Berries: purplish-black, edible
Flavor: raspberry-blueberry taste
Flavor: bland, slightly bitter
Harvest: late July - mid August
Harvest: late summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: blue honeysuckle, honeyberry
Other Names: crakeberry, curlewberry, heathberry, northern crowberry