Aurora Honeberry

Native to Eastern Siberia and Japan, this attractive small shrub is a highly valued fruiting plant in its native range. A unique member of the Honeysuckle family, it produces very early ripening tasty berries (Before strawberries) about the size, flavor, and color of wild blueberries.

Hardy to -40 degrees and is very easy to grow with no pest or disease problems. Plant 4'-5' apart. Like blueberries, Honeyberry shrubs have shallow root systems, so benefit from a good layer of mulch. Honeyberries thrive in a prefer partial shade -  particularly in southern regions. They can tolerate more sun in northern climates. 

Most honeyberries required two similar blooming periods for pollination. Honeyberries and their pollen partners should be planted within 50 feet of one another for adequate cross-pollination to occur. Honeyberries can be planted in partial shade or full sun (full sun is at least 6 to 8 hours during the growing season).

Honeyberries seem to bear best in sun in the North, needs some protection from sun in the South. Planting honeyberries on a location that receives instance direct full sun during hot summer months can inure your plant. Honeyberries can be planted in most soils with a wide range of pH leve of 5-8. Plants may perform better in clay soils than sandy soils. 

Honeyberries should be planted 5'to 7' in between the rows and 4' to 5' in between each plant. The planting hole should be large enough to accommodate the root system with ease. Spread the roots, cover with soil, and tamp well. Water plants thoroughly.

Honeyberries have a shallow root system so they can dry out quickly.  Make sure to keep them watered during dry conditions. Plants can grow 3-8 feet in height. Honeyberries will ripe early in the season. When harvesting them they are more like blueberries, try not to squeeze the fruit and avoid harvesting them when not fully ripe. 

Optimal fertilization is 3 times per year. Early spring, May, and October. Poor vigor and leaf discoloration often indicate lack of fertilizer. 

Honeyberry requires very little of pruning, Every 2 to 3 years. (In early spring before growth begins), remove damaged, dead, and diseased wood. Pruning new bushes is necessary only to remove any dead or dying parts of branches. After the fifth year, prune the bushed annually to keep 4-6 vigorous older stems and 1-2 strong new shoots.

Avoid cutting off the tops of shoots as that is where the maximum number of flower buds are. New shoots will grow and replace older stems, which keeps the fruiting cycle going. Honeyberry plants like about 1 to 2 inches of water per week to help root growth.