Best Thornless blackberry?

Thanks for report. Seems like more and more people liking Osage. I really need to get one.

2 Likes

USDA describes Burbanks “Snowbank”

Narrative

This plant is not vigorous. The berries are not “pure white” but are not black. The color is more brownish. Only a few drupelets set per fruit.

So it might not be deseased after all. Before you rip them out please consider passing a few a long. I would like to grow it and the other cultivar you have.

1 Like

My Osage planting continues to thrive with very little care. I used to like the Orus 2711-1 more, but it is not as durable so Osage might be my best one at this point. Orus 2816-3 is another super durable one, I had a planting on a hot and sunny hill of 10 or so varieties and I realized this spring that all faded except for the 2816-3’s which are going strong. It is similar to Osage.

2 Likes

To me the osage has a less aggressive flavor than the other thornless I have had. Much more mellow. The other ones are very intensely flavored. Even when ripe, the flavor almost has a harsh edge to it. The osage may not have any more sugar, but it lacks the harsh edge. That’s the best way I can think to describe it.

My triple crown has not sent up any new canes. It is growing new canes off of last year’s, which seems weird. Should I cut off all of last year’s canes to force new ones? I have them trained to a two wire trellis so new canes coming off the old ones messes up my training plan. I’ll hack them back to the ground unless someone convinces me otherwise.

3 Likes

Prime Ark Freedom has surprised me because it also does not seem to have the kind of harsh edge that many eastern blackberries carry.

3 Likes

This is a really good discussion. In my area, it seems odd to grow blackberries when vast areas of the countryside are covered with wild Himalayan blackberries, including my own property, but those Himalalayans are too sour for me, unless very very ripe, almost falling off the brambles. Plus most are too high up on the massive brambles, and I wind up bleeding from the thorns. So I picked up some blackberry plants last year. Ebony King, quite old variety, somewhat thorny type is sold as “mostly thornless” and there are some thorns on mine, not a lot. Deer and rabbits ate the young growth. One plant now has a couple handfuls of developing berries, my first and much earlier than those Himalayans, and has a big primocane growing now. Prime Ark Freedom, deer and rabbits ate 2 plants to oblivion, 2 died immediately, one died completely last winter and one was half killed, leaving only one good plant. That floricane isnt blooming but there is a new sturdy robust primocane coming up now, 4 feet tall. Columbia Star lost most of its top during the winter but has some low blooms and a developing primicane. Last month I bought some Arapaho at Lowes, they are growing, so we’ll see next year.

Lessons learned for my neighborhood and climate:

  1. Protect from deer AND rabbits. Thorns have a purpose even though I dont like bleeding all over and I have a family member on blood thinning medicine. Now mine are all fenced.
  2. Prime Ark Freedom seems not winter hardy in my Maritime zone 8 climate - not as cold as some areas, but maybe mild mixed with cold and rain is what did them in.
  3. Tissue culture plants were more delicate for me (Prime Ark Freedom and Columbia Star) I liked actual bare root canes better. My Arapaho bought as bare root canes took off faster compared to the tissue cultured plants. However, maybe that is just the variety or my conditions.
  4. Might actually get some blackberries to taste this year. Next month?

From this topic discussion, maybe I should add some triple crown. It sounds vigorous, productive, and hardy. Do I understand that right? I dont need the biggest berry, just something sweet that tastes like fresh blackberries and grows here and preferably thornless.

3 Likes

Well as far as l know all known specimens are virus infected. As long as that is undstood I don’t mind sending out. It is not brown either but is a translucent white.
Very sweet too. Berries are small but prolific. I never heard it called snowbank? Only white blackberry. I also have Nettletons creamy white. I thought I destroyed it but it came back.

1 Like

Maybe you can send yours to GRIN. it sounds more like the accession PI-618558 they no longer have then PI-618477 that they do have.

What do you think it might be infected with? I’m not growing any rubus in DC its worth a shot.

https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/accessiondetail.aspx?id=1013458

https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/accessiondetail.aspx?id=1508011

1 Like

Out of all the thornless blackberry plants I purchased just one was alive to produce blackberries which was Darrow. The berry plant was extremely expensive when I planted it ( $20-$30 ) from a magazine add many many years ago. The add showed a older gentleman with glasses with these huge Bb fruit and plant growing and they were by his head. The berries in comparison to my families thorny berries tasted second rate. That was many years ago and the plants are still growing in the same spot and multiplied to 2-3 plants. The deer, raccoons , possums, birds etc. agree with me about flavor because we all eat the berries from the thorny type. All these years later after planting so many duds this is the first year I had the will to try freedom. Planted prime ark 45 thorny BB at the same time which were much cheaper than Darrow and both have put on more growth in a month than Darrow did in a year. BB are something that must vary a lot from location to location. I suspect those Darrow did good where they were from. A neighbor has plants they stake up and grow on a trellis and they were huge nice big berries but who wants berries that would need a trellis? These thornless all taste sour to me so far but I have not tried freedom yet. Anyone know much about traveler long term yet?

1 Like

From the description of the advertisement and cost, I bet that you have Doyle’s instead of darrow.

2 Likes

Thats a possibility I may have the name mixed up.

1 Like

Darrow is thorny and very hardy.

1 Like

I did actually have the named mixed up. Doyle’s was the correct name. This advertisement shows the same gentleman with the blackberry plant in a similar add http://www.fruitsandberries.com

1 Like

OK, wow unique! I’m going to stick with yours, this fall or before bud break, please if possible, I would love one the the heirloom blackberries. Dig me up a cane. Sounds perfect for here, and breeding too.

2 Likes

Hi Drew,

I am currently looking for White blackberry varieties. Could you please contact me via email deepbluefarm@gmail.com to discuss getting some white blackberry plants from you? I’m willing to discuss some payment for your help.

Sorry I sold all my plants, I do not have any anymore. A grower in Florida was interested, and actually I traded for fig plants.

Hi Drew,

You wouldn’t happen to know a source or could point me in the right direction? I’ve been researching this for weeks and it seems the only way to get the older white varieties is from hobbyists. Any help would be beyond appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Best,

Dustin Sparr

Here’s a good source: https://www.rareseeds.com/blackberry-snowbank-white-blackberry-2-plants-ships-marchl-june-/

1 Like

Thank you I had seen rare seeds is carrying snowbank for the 2018 season, I’m looking more so for nettletons white blackberry. Anyone know a source?

Yes it is being sold as Polar Berry