Cultivation, Chemical Constituents and Utilization of Lonicera caerulea L. (Blue Honeysuckle) in Poland

Lonicera caerulea was commonly named among others as a haskap, blue honeysuckle and honeyberry. It is a culinary plant which was known for many years in the region of Northeast Asia, where the fruits from wild-grown plants have been collected. Russia was considered to be the oldest breeding center of the blue honeysuckle. Today, the plantations of blue honeysuckle are located in many countries, e.g., Canada, USA, China, Great Britain and Poland, and the area of cultivation is constantly increasing. In many countries, there are research centers trying to create new cultivars of blue honeysuckle. This article reviews basic information on the botanical characteristic, chemical composition, utilization and the requirements for cultivation of blue honeysuckle. Much attention has been paid to the chemical composition of the fruits and their therapeutic, health-promoting properties and culinary use. The presence of flavonoids, anthocyanins and iridoids makes blue honeysuckle fruits a high health potential. Fruits are used mainly for fresh eating, freezing, drying or the production of many articles such as juices and concentrates. Polish producers use the harvested fruits for processing purposes. These culinary food products which were produced on their farms might promote the region and supplement the household budget. The knowledge about the utilization and cultivation of this plant is broadening in Poland.