2017 Artful Agriculture #2

This week in Artful Agriculture: Honeyberries (Lonicera cerulea)!! The honeysuckle genus Lonicera has given us some some garden stalwarts like Tatarian and climbing honeysuckle. Only recently with the introduction of honeyberry cultivars has the genus been tapped to produce food.

Lonicera cerulea forms rounded, medium-sized shrubs that bloom alongside forsythia in early spring and produce cylindrical, blueberry-like fruits by midsummer that taste like a cross between raspberries and blueberries albeit slightly less sweet. Hardy to zone 3, they are perfect for our cold, unpredictable winters. Consider replacing dwarf Korean lilacs or hydrangeas with this shrub in order to reap an unexpected sweet reward come summertime!