Honeyberry Duet

A new superfruit with berries very high in Vitamin C and antioxidants, Lonicera caerulea Duet is a cultivar of a fruiting shrub from Siberia and Kamschatka only recently introduced to the west. The berries are long, cylindrical and blue-black, with a white, waxy bloom, and have a pleasant, sweet, tangy flavour. Honeyberry Duet is a mid- to late season cropper; if grown with honeyberry Atut you will get a long season of berries. The bush grows to about 5’/1.5m. It’s partially self-fertile, but will crop better if grown with a different honeyberry cultivar; Atut is ideal. Honeyberries flower very early in the year when few pollinating insects are about, so you may need to pollinate the small yellow flowers with a small, soft artist’s brush. Honeyberries should not be over-fertilised, or there will be too much leafy growth at the expense of fruit.

Site: Warm, sheltered, sunny site
Soil: Any well-drained soil, slightly acidic and humus-rich preferred
Position: Full sun
Pick: As soon as the berries are ripe, with a waxy bloom
Keep: Does not keep, but the berries ripen over a long period
Hardiness: Very hardy
Pollination: Partially self-fertile; crops well grown with honeyberry Atut
Uses: Eating fresh, juicing, preserves