Haskap Berries Catching On Fast
It’s the first fruit of the year in much of Canada, and researchers and plant propagators hope to make haskap a household name. Some say the small blue fruit tastes like a combination of blueberry and raspberry. It grows in higher pH soils, has twice as many antioxidants as blueberries, and processors are developing a variety of haskap products.
Haskaps are sometimes known as honeyberries. The berry grows wild in some areas of North America and also in Japan and Russia. Dr. Bob Bors, head of the fruit-breeding program at the University of Saskatchewan, has been researching them for 13 years and breeding them for a decade.
Five years ago, eager plant propagators convinced him to release two varieties. Borealis has a slightly better taste and is a bit bigger, but is more delicate and preferred by homeowners. Tundra handles being picked by machinery better and is preferred by commercial growers who process the berries into products including jams, wines and dairy treats.
“When you put frozen haskap in your mouth, they dissolve, the skin just disappears and seeds aren’t noticed. That’s why smoothie people like them,” Bors says, adding that there is great interest in making a variety of products including gelato, because of haskap’s flavor and intense color.
Haskap wines also surprise connoisseurs because they have a similar flavor to red grape wine, which can be difficult to grow in northern climes.
Typically, haskaps ripen in late June in the Canada prairie region, a couple of weeks before strawberries – possibly earlier in the U.S. That early ripening adds value to haskaps, which have reportedly sold for as high as $10/lb.
Haskap bushes yield well 3 or 4 years after being planted. Depending on the year, they continue to bear fruit into August – and even into September in cool summers. Good plants yield 7 to 15 lbs. after 5 years. Birds, especially cedar waxwings, love the berries so bushes must be covered with netting.
The Haskap Canada Association (www.haskap.ca) has a website including information, photos and propagators who sell the Tundra and Borealis varieties. Bors suggests U.S. buyers contact www.honeyberryusa.com to avoid the $35 inspection certificate for shipping between the countries.
“Everyone is in a phase of experimentation,” Bors says. “I’ve been telling people to try out the two varieties (Borealis and Tundra), but we will have improved varieties coming out in future years.”
He is working on finding the right blend of Canadian/Russian/Japanese genetics to create good characteristics – fatter, sweeter fruit that ripens evenly.
Haskap berries excite growers who can’t grow other kinds of fruits. They appreciate that haskaps tolerate flooding, grow in soils with levels as high as 8 pH, survive light frost after blooming, and are suitable for Zones 0-6. The biggest danger in the warmer zones is that they come out of dormancy early during a warm winter spell.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dr. Bob Bors, University of Saskatchewan, Dept. of Plant Sciences, 51 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, Sask., Canada S7N 5A8 (www.fruit.usask.ca).
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Haskap Berries Catching On Fast CROPS Miscellaneous It’s the first fruit of the year in much of Canada and researchers and plant propagators hope to make haskap a household name Some say the small blue fruit tastes like a combination of blueberry and raspberry It grows in higher pH soils has twice as many antioxidants as blueberries and processors are developing a variety of haskap products Haskaps are sometimes known as honeyberries The berry grows wild in some areas of North America and also in Japan and Russia Dr Bob Bors head of the fruit-breeding program at the University of Saskatchewan has been researching them for 13 years and breeding them for a decade Five years ago eager plant propagators convinced him to release two varieties Borealis has a slightly better taste and is a bit bigger but is more delicate and preferred by homeowners Tundra handles being picked by machinery better and is preferred by commercial growers who process the berries into products including jams wines and dairy treats “When you put frozen haskap in your mouth they dissolve the skin just disappears and seeds aren’t noticed That’s why smoothie people like them ” Bors says adding that there is great interest in making a variety of products including gelato because of haskap’s flavor and intense color Haskap wines also surprise connoisseurs because they have a similar flavor to red grape wine which can be difficult to grow in northern climes Typically haskaps ripen in late June in the Canada prairie region a couple of weeks before strawberries – possibly earlier in the U S That early ripening adds value to haskaps which have reportedly sold for as high as $10/lb Haskap bushes yield well 3 or 4 years after being planted Depending on the year they continue to bear fruit into August – and even into September in cool summers Good plants yield 7 to 15 lbs after 5 years Birds especially cedar waxwings love the berries so bushes must be covered with netting The Haskap Canada Association www haskap ca has a website including information photos and propagators who sell the Tundra and Borealis varieties Bors suggests U S buyers contact www honeyberryusa com to avoid the $35 inspection certificate for shipping between the countries “Everyone is in a phase of experimentation ” Bors says “I’ve been telling people to try out the two varieties Borealis and Tundra but we will have improved varieties coming out in future years ” He is working on finding the right blend of Canadian/Russian/Japanese genetics to create good characteristics – fatter sweeter fruit that ripens evenly Haskap berries excite growers who can’t grow other kinds of fruits They appreciate that haskaps tolerate flooding grow in soils with levels as high as 8 pH survive light frost after blooming and are suitable for Zones 0-6 The biggest danger in the warmer zones is that they come out of dormancy early during a warm winter spell Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dr Bob Bors University of Saskatchewan Dept of Plant Sciences 51 Campus Dr Saskatoon Sask Canada S7N 5A8 www fruit usask ca
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