Cultivar 1892: Haskap

Haskap is cultivated blue honeysuckle, treated here under the document's taxonomic scope of Lonicera caerulea. The available source is a University of Saskatchewan Fruit Program growing guide. It focuses on uses, fruit quality, and mature plant handling, not on a named cultivar release or parentage record. [S1]

The fruit is described as useful fresh or processed. The guide lists pastries, jams, juice, wine, ice cream, yogurt, sauces, and candies as suitable uses. Frozen berries are said to melt in the mouth. Their tiny kiwi-sized seeds are practically unnoticeable, and their skins break down while eating. [S1]

Color is a major quality point. Haskap can give dairy products a bright purple-red color, and its juice can produce a rich burgundy wine. The source says the juice has 10 to 15 times the color concentration of cranberry juice. It also notes that some users compare haskap wine to grape or cherry wine. [S1]

The page also describes old plant structure. A blue honeysuckle over 30 years old can have a trunk about three inches across, with shredded bark like an old grape vine. This mature structure can be ornamental, but it may make fruit hard to shake from the plant. The guide advises pruning before branches get too thick. Plants may also be trained into a bonsai-like form where hand harvesting is planned. [S1]

This source does not give direct parentage, cultivar release history, or a hardiness zone statement on the cited page. It places the crop in a Canadian production context. It also links the work to the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Agriculture, and Alberta grower organizations supporting haskap breeding, production practices, and health-benefit work. [S1]

Summary source basis

• S1: Growing Haskap in Canada

This summary currently draws chiefly from Growing Haskap in Canada.

Featured source descriptions

“A 30+ year old Blue Honeysuckle specimen is described as having shredded-bark-like, grapevine-like trunk texture and a trunk about three inches across.”
— ^[1]

“When frozen, fruit melts in the mouth with practically unnoticeable seeds that are kiwi-sized; the skins disintegrate during consumption.”
— ^[1]

“The image-linked plant was noted as ornamental but difficult to shake fruit from due to trunk/branch structure; growers are advised to prune when branches become too thick, and some may train it into a bonsai-like form for hand harvesting.”
— ^[1]

“Fruit can impart a bright purple-red color in dairy applications; juice can produce wine with a rich burgundy appearance and is said to have 10–15x stronger color concentration than cranberry juice.”
— ^[1]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• No direct breeding_cross claim text yet.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• The trunk of this 30+ year old Blue Honeysuckle looks similar to an old grape vine with a shredded bark look. ... Haskap can be used in processed products: pastries, jams, juice, wine, ice cream, yogurt, sauces, and candies.Growing Haskap in Canada, p9
• The trunk of this 30+ year old Blue Honeysuckle looks similar to an old grape vine with a shredded bark look. ... Haskap can be used in processed products: pastries, jams, juice, wine, ice cream, yogurt, sauces, and candies.Growing Haskap in Canada, p9
• The trunk of this 30+ year old Blue Honeysuckle looks similar to an old grape vine with a shredded bark look. ... Haskap can be used in processed products: pastries, jams, juice, wine, ice cream, yogurt, sauces, and candies.Growing Haskap in Canada, p9
• The trunk of this 30+ year old Blue Honeysuckle looks similar to an old grape vine with a shredded bark look. ... Haskap can be used in processed products: pastries, jams, juice, wine, ice cream, yogurt, sauces, and candies.Growing Haskap in Canada, p9

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context