I live in zone 6b southeast MA. I’m looking for the most heat tolerant honeyberries and it seems that the Maxine Thompson varieties (Tana, Chito, Keiko, etc.) and the Boreal series (Beast, Beauty, Blizzard) are the most heat tolerant.
Has anyone grown one or both of these types and if so how did they handle the heat? How did they compare in flavor and yield? I read that the Boreal series is more sweet-tart and the Maxine Thompson varieties are more pure sweet.
I’m in SE PA Zone 7A/B-ish. I’m growing Boreal Blizzard, Beast and Beauty. As well as Strawberry Sensation, which I forget who released that one. I got my plants from Stark Bros, there’s probably cheaper/better sources unless you happen to get them on sale and with free shipping. They all arrived looking like somebody stuck two or three 6-12” pieces of invasive honeysuckle vine into potting soil and conned me out of like $25 a piece for them. They grew to like 18” the first year, like 3.5’ the second, and are about 5’ this year. Blizzard and Beast seem to have the most upright growth habits, Beauty less so, Strawberry Sensation is more spreading.
They need bird protection and to hang while looking ripe for two weeks or they taste like sour grass. I’ve never had the Thompson varieties to compare. Mine are planted along the fence at the north side of my yard behind apple/pear trees, kept to pedestrian height, so they get some sun protection and still produce lots of berries. They still looked ragged and half dead every year though by August with crispy leaves and branches that look like they probably died back. Then they spring back to life in the…Spring and get bigger by the middle of the Summer. I assume they’re at about full size this year. Lots of berries set on them and I need to get netting on them before they start to change color. They’re three years old I believe.
I would think unless you’re planting them somewhere totally exposed with reflected/radiated heat that they’ll probably be fine. Possibly look terrible part way through the year when they go into a sort of mid-Summer dormancy, but they bounce back from that fine the next year. Unless it is actually way too hot for them, then they don’t.
Would you say they taste similar to blueberries (or a combo of blueberries and raspberries)? I’m hoping for somewhat of a unique flavor. Do you have a preference for yield/flavor out of the three?
They do have a flavor sort of similar to blueberries and the sweet-tart thing is reminiscent of raspberry. The texture is very different though, they feel like a kind of soft grape and the inside is sort of like a jelly. Blueberries have kind of a slight snap to the skin and the texture is more firm. Of the four varieties I was eating more of the Boreal Beauty off the bush while I was picking them.
I am a weirdo that likes those sour gummy worms too though. So I’m more OK with fresh eating stuff having a bit of a tart kick to it than most people.
Thanks. I find most store bought blueberries to be kind of mushy so I’m guessing it’s like that. What do you use the berries for besides fresh eating? If I get enough I’ve thought of making pies.
I’ve used them in pie and liked the results which were very blueberry-like. I believe I just used a gooseberry pie recipe and changed the fruit out? I don’t remember exactly.
I’m growing different varieties (Aurora series) but I find the taste very similar to blueberries. Not exact, and more in the tart range of blueberries, but if you’re looking for novel flavors, haskaps aren’t it.
I still like them as they grow much better than blueberries here.
The jelly-like texture is pretty distinctive, takes some getting used to if you’re expecting blueberry. I’ve found them better cooked than fresh for that reason, the texture works well in jam and the flavour concentrates nicely. Boreal Beast tends to be the most productive of that series in my experience, though Beauty has the edge on flavour.
I’m in central NH and mine look rough by mid to late summer as well. I can confirm blizzard and beast are more upright which is good for my chicken run. I have aurora, blue banana, and blue pacific too. Haven’t tried blue banana yet as for some reason it does back to the crown every winter. Weird. Pacific fruited for me for the first time last year and it was the most sour of the ones I have.