Honeyberries have been grown for centuries in the cold northern regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Yet, not many people in the US are familiar with the honeyberry plant. However, honeyberries are starting to gain a fanbase in the US due to their cold hardiness, flavor, similarity to blueberries and, honestly, the novelty and some good marketing by nurseries. When it comes to Honeyberries vs Blueberries, there are several intriguing differences and similarities to explore.
People tend to like novel things that they can relate to something familiar. On the other hand, wholly novel things tend to be spurned. The edible berry world is no exception to this rule. Honeyberry plants are very similar to blueberries in bushy habit, size, and color. They are even more cold hardy and are not even in the same Vaccium genus as blueberries. Honeyberry plants are even more closely related to the honeysuckle vine than to blueberries!
Of course, blueberries are a garden, food forest, permastead, and grocery favorite in many regions of the world. This is for their high yields of sweet, tart, and generally delicious berries. So, a similar berry that could be resistant to diseases that could infect blueberries is a welcome addition to the homestead. Indeed, when comparing Honeyberries vs Blueberries, it’s clear both have unique advantages, but the greatest advantage is having genetically diverse berries on your homestead.
Practical Similarities
Similar growing conditions (though honeyberries are cold hardier and some blueberry varieties are better at tolerating heat), similar shallow roots, similar soil pH, and similar bush size. They can be used in the same recipes. Unfortunately, since honeyberries and blueberries are genetically distant, they cannot pollinate each other. So, you’ll need at least 2 honeyberry plants of different varieties for effective cross-pollination and fruit set (a.k.a. fruit production). These differences are crucial in considering Honeyberries vs Blueberries for your garden.
So, if they’re so similar why grow should you grow honeyberries instead of blueberries? Uhh, I don’t think you should. I think you should grow both blueberries and honeyberries for robustness of your berry producing homestead. If you’re just getting into berries, then it’s probably smart to start with blueberries since they are more common. If you run into issues there’s a larger knowledgebase of blueberry growers than there is for honeyberry growers. Now, if you like to experiment and add to the honeyberry knowledgebase, then go right ahead! You might want to start with more than 2 plants though. Why compete Honeyberries vs Blueberries in your garden?
Blueberries, Honeyberries, and The H.O.A.
If you’ve seen some of my poetry, you’ll know that I’m no fan of (most) Home Owners Associations (HOAs), and the restrictions that they impose on their residents. Luckily for berry growers, I kind of doubt that any HOAs except for the most tyrannical would be opposed to blueberry or honeyberry plants. Especially if you replace a standard boxwood hedge with one of these berry plants (or better yet, with a wild blueberry like the hilariously named farkleberry). If your HOA is really strict, then you can grow these berries in containers. However, I think you’d be better off long-term to get involved with your HOA and push change from within and improve your entire suburb. This way, the benefits of both Honeyberries vs Blueberries can be enjoyed even in stricter environments.