Lonicera caerulea Strawberry Sensation - Honeyberry

Lonicera caerulea 'Strawberry Sensation' is an excellent variety of the shrub honeysuckle commonly known as Blue Honeysuckle or Sweetberry. The plant is vigorous and produces large-sized flavoursome fruits. Its blue berries have a sweet flesh that leaves a pleasant taste of wild strawberries and blueberries in the mouth. This variety blooms in May and the harvest begins in June. We plant the Sweetberry in a small hedge or on the edge of an orchard, in a cool, acidic to neutral soil.  Fruit production will be more generous if several blue honeysuckle plants are planted in the garden.

Originally from cold regions of the Far East, from Siberia to Japan, the blue honeysuckle is a small, extremely hardy bush that can withstand temperatures below -30°C. Just like its climbing relations, it belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. The small oval leaves, arranged in an opposite manner on the branches, are a tender green shade and then turn to a slightly greyish green shade. The cinnamon brown bark becomes very decorative after a few years. In early spring, small elongated, greenish-yellow flowers appear, reminiscent of those of climbing honeysuckles but in miniature. A few weeks later, between May and July depending on the varieties, the flowers produce succulent, frosted blue berries, whose taste somewhat resembles American blueberries. These fruits are very rich in vitamins A and C, and antioxidants, and can be used fresh, in jams and in sweet preparations etc.

The 'Strawberry Sensation' variety is a Canadian variety with a good yield of fruit. It stands out for its late and abundant harvest, between mid-June and July, which extends the period of 'Sweetberries'. The fruits are large and cylindrical, measuring up to 2 cm (0.8 in) in length. They are sweet and aromatic. Easy to pick, they do not fall off the plant on their own. The bush is vigorous, with a nice dome-shaped habit. It reaches a minimum height and width of about 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in), and its growth is relatively fast.

Very robust, Lonicera caerulea 'Strawberry Sensation' is quite versatile: it tolerates most soils as long as they are neither calcareous nor too dry. However, a humus-rich, and well-drained soil will promote a significant and regular harvest, with flavoursome fruits.  Plant several staggered varieties to improve cross-pollination and maximize yield over a long period (see other varieties). The young shoots are resistant to late frosts, which is an significant advantage in colder regions. You can insert it into a rural hedge, provided that the neighbouring bushes do not invade it too much as this would hinder its development and make the harvest more difficult. It also grows very well in pots.  The annual addition of compost will prove beneficial for this plant, whether planted in the ground or in a pot.