Lonicera kamtschatica Myberry Sweet - Honeyberry

Lonicera kamtschatica 'Myberry Sweet' is a recent Canadian variety, rare in Europe, selected for its high yield. Derived from the shrubby honeysuckle called May berry, it is cultivated for its edible berries of good size and particularly tasty. This bush produces in spring an abundant creamy white flowering delicately scented followed by the formation of numerous vitamin-rich fruits that can be consumed fresh or transformed into jellies and jams. This Siberian origin honeysuckle is certainly an extremely hardy small fruit bush, but it proves to be sensitive to drought and excessive limestone in the soil.

Also known as the "Blue honeysuckle", Lonicera caerulea subsp. kamtschatica is a shrubby species of the Caprifoliaceae family, like all honeysuckles. It is native to Eastern Europe, particularly Russia and Siberian Asia, from Kamchatka to Magadan to Sakhalin Island. This edible honeysuckle has been known and consumed by indigenous populations for a long time. It was only in the early 90s that North American breeders (Canada and the United States) became interested in selecting new varieties like 'Myberry Sweet', which are more robust and fruitful.

'Myberry Sweet' honeysuckle shows slow growth and an erect bushy habit. It forms a shrub 1.20m (3ft 11in) to 1.50m (4ft 11in) high with a spread of about 80cm (31.5in) and bears small deciduous leaves, 3 to 8cm (1.2 to 3.1in) long, opposite, ovate, dark green. In March, numerous tubular flowers, 3cm (1.2in) long, open directly on the stems, blooming into creamy white star-shaped flowers that diffuse a very pleasant fragrance. They have two large central lips that leave the stamens visible. The flowering as well as the young shoots withstand freezing temperatures of around -7/-8°C. In late June (depending on the climate), the flowers give way to beautiful blue, powdery, cylindrical berries, slightly flattened at their ends, 2.5cm (1in) long, weighing 1.6g, resembling large blueberries, both in flavour and appearance. Edible and rich in antioxidants, vitamins B and C, they can be used fresh, in jams or jellies.

Hardy down to -40°C, the 'Myberry Sweet' Lonicera can be planted, for example, in a country hedge or a thoughtfully planned edible garden, mixed with raspberries, currants, thornless blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, or even Goji berries (Lycium barbarum), in a sunny position and in fertile soil with low limestone content. In a container on a terrace, you will enjoy its fragrance even more! Ornamental shrubs such as lilacs, mock oranges, Abelias, or beautybush can serve as a backdrop, taking care, however, that their root system does not encroach on the living space of our blue honeysuckle.

Tip: For better fruiting, plant two or three together, this will promote pollination rates.