Kawai Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Kawai Haskap (Honeyberry) vs Bilberry

Lonicera caerulea Kawai

Vaccinium myrtillus

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Kawai Haskap (Honeyberry)
Bilberry

The Kawai Haskap is a compact fruit-bearing shrub that blooms with small white flowers in early spring and then fruits with medium-sized, oval shaped berries in late June and July. Their taste is usually described as something between a raspberry and a blueberry. The berries are blue and sweet and are great for fresh eating or preserves.

The Kawai Haskap, or Kawai Honeyberry is cold-hardy and is suitable for urban gardens.

Kawai is a late pollinating variety. Pair with other late pollinators to have a higher yield.
Giants Heart Haskap is a great companion variety for the Kawaii.

Bilberry is a native perennial shrub valued for its small, blue-black berries that ripen in mid to late summer. The berries resemble blueberries but have a richer, more tart, and intense flavor. They have long been used for fresh eating, baking, and preserves, while also providing food for birds and mammals. In spring, its delicate pinkish flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

Growing low to the ground, Bilberry forms spreading colonies that create dense understory cover. This growth habit provides food and shelter for wildlife, and its foliage adds seasonal interest by turning red to purple in autumn. With its adaptability and ecological benefits, Bilberry is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and pollinator gardens.

Kawai Haskap (Honeyberry) Quick Facts

Bilberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: none


Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses
Flowers: white
Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: summer
Berries: oval
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Fruit size: medium
Firmness: medium
Flavor: sweet
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late june/july
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: kawai honeyberry
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry