Yezberry® SOLO™

Lonicera caerulea ‘Kapu’ 

Haskap? Honeyberry? Yezberry®? Whatever you call it, it’s delightful! Simple to tend, especially for cold region and maritime growers – in spring, bright yellow flower-funnels draw pollinators to this simple, mounding shrub, and then vibrant green berries mature to a dreamy blue. With a tangy flavor that’s like a raspberry with a bit of earthy blackberry, when the berries are dark blue through-and-through is the time to enjoy them. Yezberry is a newer category of honeyberry developed by breeder Dr. Maxine Thompson from an exclusively Japanese subspecies from Hokkaido (formerly called Yez Island), and these late-blooming varieties match up reliably with each other. Plan to buy them in sets for heavier yields!

While somewhat self-fertile, it’s best to pair with a different variety of Yezberry for reliable pollination. Yezberry is developed for slightly warmer regions than most haskaps, and is better suited for cool maritime locations. Bushes tend to go into early dormancy when temperatures are consistently above 86F, so not for hot summer climates. Can prefer afternoon shade in long-summer regions.

Hardy to USDA Zone: 2

Mature Height: 5’-6′

Sun: Full Sun to Afternoon Shade in Warmer Climates

Ripening Time: Earliest Summer

Pollination: Somewhat self-fertile; a different Yezberry variety planted nearby is recommended for better yields.