Honeyberry Kulon - Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica Leningradzkij

The Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica 'Leningradzkij Kulon' is a honeysuckle with edible fruits, known for its robustness and high yield. The berries, with a pruinose blue colour and weighing about 1 gram, offer a deliciously sweet and fruity flavour, with a slight tanginess that makes them enjoyable to eat. Resistant to temperatures as low as -40°C, this bush easily adapts to the garden or in a pot on a terrace. Its fragrant flowering in March announces an abundant harvest starting in early June. Easy to grow and disease resistant, it is perfect for a small fruit hedge, combined with other varieties. Although self-fertile, planting multiple staggered varieties improves cross-pollination and increases yield over a longer period.

The Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica, also known as Blue Honeysuckle, Honeyberry, Mayberry, Siberian Blueberries, Edible Honeysuckle, Maibeere or Haskap, is a shrub species belonging to the caprifoliaceae family, just like other honeysuckles. Native to Eastern Europe, particularly Russia and Siberian Asia, from the Kamchatka region to Sakhalin Island, it has been consumed for a long time by indigenous populations. This resistant shrub can withstand temperatures as low as -40°C, although its flowers can only tolerate up to -7°C, making it an interesting choice for high-altitude gardens.

The 'Leningradzkij Kulon' variety is a strong and robust selection, forming a bushy shrub with a dense and rounded crown, reaching a height of 1.50 m with a spread of 1.20 m. The foliage is deciduous, composed of opposite, ovate, dark green leaves, slightly greyish-blue, measuring 3 to 8 cm in length. Flowering occurs from March, with tubular flowers blooming in pairs, yellowish-green in colour, quite discreet, intensely visited by bees. Fruiting mainly occurs on one- and two-year-old branches. The bush is then covered with shell-shaped berries, swollen at the end, quite short and stocky, pruinose in blue colour, measuring 1.5 to 2 cm in length, with a diameter of 0.7 to 0.8 cm, weighing about 1 gram, with a honey-like scent. They contain very small seeds that are not noticeable when tasted. Reaching ripeness in early June, the drupe is filled with a yellowish-green, juicy, sweet and tangy flesh, similar to that of blueberries in both flavour and appearance. Harvesting takes place as the fruits mature, when their flesh turns red. A Blue Honeysuckle produces approximately 2.5 to 4 kg of fruit per plant depending on the age and growing conditions of the plant. To improve fruiting, it is preferable to plant at least two plants. The varieties 'Morena', 'Nimfa', 'Silginka', 'Honey Bee' can be good pollinating partners. Being melliferous, the flowers will attract bees for good pollination. The fruits are rich in vitamins B and C, fibres, minerals, and well-supplied with antioxidants.

In the kitchen: Once picked, the May berries only keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, preferably in the vegetable drawer. The fruits of the 'Leningradzkij Kulon' Blue Honeysuckle can be eaten fresh, and for added indulgence, they can be sprinkled with a little granulated sugar. They are excellent in jellies or jams, and can also be used to make fruit salads, muffins or smoothies, and pies... And also very fruity, slightly acidic juices. When dried, the berries retain all their nutritional values. To extend the enjoyment, the fruits can easily be frozen.

Transform your garden into a gourmet paradise with the Edible Honeysuckle. Ideal for a rustic or gourmet hedge, choose a sunny location, but protected from excessive heat, in a fresh, fertile, and non-calcareous soil. Combine it with other delights such as raspberries, red currants, blackberries, blueberries or even goji berries (Lycium barbarum) for tasty harvests. For a festival of colours, combine it with ornamental shrubs such as Fragrant Osmanthus, Lilacs, Mock Oranges, abelias, Choisya (Mexican Orange Blossom) or Kolkwitzia, while preserving the vital space of the honeysuckle. You can even plant it in a container or large pot on a terrace to appreciate its beauty up close. Let yourself be enchanted by its intoxicating fragrance from spring onwards!