At one point I had about 8 different varieties, mostly obtained from One Green World. Due to space limitations, they were kept in large pots and I lost a few due to excessive dryness during our hot, late summers.
This is a worthwhile small fruit to have in your garden, but is a cold loving plant. I do not know how they would fare in zone 7, but if you try them, keep in mind that they need some regular moisture when the weather is hot. I would suggest a location that would receive shelter from hot afternoon sun.
Fruit is delicious and similar in structure/consistency to a blueberry. Flavor has more "character" then blueberries, to which they are often compared. Some people do not like the flavor, but I believe that may be because the fruit is not allowed to properly ripen fully before harvest. The fruits turn blue early, but need at least a month more to fully ripen up. There is some difference in fruit flavor among the different varieties available.
Another consideration is that there is a difference between when varieties flower. Some are very early, and locally in PA, the early ones tend to flower before the bees are out to pollinate. This means fruit set is not consistent and some years you don't get much fruit due to this problem. The later blooming varieties are much more consistent producers here.
Lastly, honeyberries are also called haskaps. The different names tend to denote varieties from Japan or varieties developed (bred) and imported from Canada. It is not clear to me which are better since the Canadian haskaps are only now starting to become more common here in the US. Personally, I believe that the difference is primarily a marketing strategy.
I have a couple of plants that occasionally flower and will produce a berry or two in the fall, so there is a chance down that road that we may see plants that fruit twice a year. Other than the heat consideration, the plants seem to be very easy to grow. Fruit tends to be held under leaves, so there is also some resistance to birds stealing the fruit, unlike blueberries that do not hide the fruit.
