Borealis Honeyberry

Borealis is a Canadian-bred haskap, also called blue honeysuckle, valued for large, flavorful berries. Its fruit is relatively soft, so it is best suited to home gardens and hand picking rather than rough mechanical harvest. ## Fruit and harvest The University of Saskatchewan reports that Borealis produced exceptionally large berries in its trials and recommends it for home gardens or u-pick operations. Handle ripe fruit gently; berries can be damaged by shaking and should be processed promptly if harvested that way. Haskaps ripen early in many northern growing regions, though the local harvest date varies. ## Pollination Borealis needs a compatible flowering partner to set a crop. The University of Saskatchewan compatibility chart rates Honey Bee as an excellent match for Borealis, with compatible pollen and synchronized bloom. See the [USask Haskap Varieties profile](https://research-groups.usask.ca/fruit/our-varieties/haskap-varieties.php) for its cultivar notes and pollination chart. ## Maintenance Plant a compatible partner nearby and leave room to reach the branches for gentle hand harvesting. Keep both cultivars in the garden through their shared bloom period so pollinating insects can move between them.