The Haskap

Last year we added Haskaps. They are cultivated versions of the honeyberry. The fruit is elongated in shape and deep purple and basically whatever you can do with a blueberry you can do with a haskap.

We started with 3 tundra plants and 2 pollinators from Jung's. Originally, I had plans to keep them out in the field, but the hard clay soil seemed too much for them. I moved them all very early this spring into a raised bed filled with horse manure compost. They simply took off in the compost. I was even amazed that they flowered very early this spring and put on fruit, despite the flowers being exposed to several frosts. The flowers were a very soft yellow and looked like other flowers in the honeysuckle family. The fruit is said to riped earlier then strawberries and this turned out to be our experience as well. Our first "crop" was small only about 15 -20 berries, but they ripened almost 2 weeks or more ago and the strawberries are just starting to turn. We found the flavor slightly tart, but very similar to a blueberry and good just fresh. I have a feeling no matter how many I plant they won't make it into the house.