Yes. This is my current experience and I was confused by it! I was expecting what @Auburn described and that is not what happened.
Mine has been planted for two full summers now. This year, it grew 3 new canes from the ground (one about 2 feet away)!
I’m sure for many people (such as @Paul-VA ) this would seem very paltry. But that little plant is living in some very difficult conditions. My area is not really good for berry plants - the wineberry isn’t even happy.
The extension office pamphlet even says my area is “likely not suitable” for growing raspberry or blackberry. And also says “Of the many varieties of blackberries and raspberries available, few have proven satisfactory for growing under Virginia conditions”. But I wanted to give this one a shot since I know Clark’s soil and region are similar to mine.
I remember reading somewhere that @Robert was having difficulty getting any berry plants to take and grow, but I can’t find the thread again. But I can recommend this one! I did have a fence around it for a year to protect it from deer. I had a second one without a fence and deer chomped the top of it and it didn’t come back. So I’d recommend that for a bit.
I would warn anyone thinking about this berry that it would be extremely aggressive with even minimally good conditions. Also it has very wicked thorns! However, it is tasty and it will thrive in a difficult environment.
That thread was referring to blueberries. I’ve only been able to get a few varieties to do well here. Blackberries do very well. Raspberries have struggled a little, but that’s due to my survive on your own mentality.
Welcome to the forum! Maybe @krismoriah could get you some starts. We are in a really busy season here now. I’m not able to commit to anything else at the moment.
I was just out pruning mine (which is pretty much a death wish because they are so thorny) and I saw your post so I took some pictures and maybe you can make some guesses.
They mostly have leaflets of 3 but sometimes 4 or 5 and sometimes the leaflets are fused. They have the most giant thorns. I had a normal pair of household scissors which are there for scale.
I took a picture of the front and back of some leaves. Also, they mostly bear on floricanes but also on primocanes sometimes. They fruited the first year I had them and I was confused. Also, they keep growing and don’t lose their leaves until late in the winter. I didn’t take out my floricanes last year because they were still green and they grew bushy shoots which also fruited this year- though this year was a bit odd with weather so it could have been that too.
They have largeish seeds and taste closer to the invasive blackberry you get in northern California than then do to the fancy pure sweet berries I’ve gotten at you-pick. The invasive northern California berries have a mild dirt taste to me (I really like them though) and these don’t. These are more tart and bright and less jammy than those - but they still have a flavor.
Edit. I added a pic of the flowers and a cluster of berries since I know R. allegheniensis has special hairs on them, but I don’t really know what I’m looking for! Also, these berries are a bit late to be so green and smaller compared to the normal size - I think because of the weather. So they may not be representative of the normal look.
And somehow I managed to post this twice so I deleted one!
That is definately them. They ripen July 20th here. Everything they do gives them the edge they need. They keep the leaves most of the winter as mentioned , and the roots keep growing. They can grow by seed , and they grow by root rhizomes. They turn bad soil into beautiful black soil because they do that much work under the ground. They promote wildlife. They taste really good like an old fashioned blackberry because they are.
No worries - good to know. I understand the challenge better now (see below).
@benthegirl This is awesome, thank you for the detailed images and description! It does seem to defy all expectations. My guess is R. allegheniensis based on the cane structure (slightly ridged with good sized thorns/otherwise mostly smooth) and occasional primocane fruiting, but it’s just a guess and like you mentioned, perhaps all signs aren’t pointing that way. When you say invasive blackberry in CA, are you talking about R. armeniacus? That’s helpful insight!
They can exceed 20’ height here. They are literally named “health berry” , they were a variety but that was over 100+ years ago. They were passed down to me from my grandfather who obtained them as a young man.
I believe that R. armeniacus or some hybrid of them is what is found where I used to live in CA. They grew everywhere - ditches, roadsides…
Another thing about this blackberry is that it grows well in my alkaline soil. I see you’re in Utah where you also have alkaline soil. If you want, I’m happy to send you some. Just make sure you’ve either got a steel container for it or you don’t mind something crazy aggressive popping up everywhere.
My location is horrible for blackberries and raspberries. While other people get huge plants and lots of spreading, after 3 years mine is in a 6’ diameter circle with a few shoots outside of that and is about 4 feet tall. However, it’s the only blackberry that’s survived at my house. My raspberries barely get 2 foot canes.
Newberry is doing very well at my location too. Lonnnngg trailing canes and lots of root shoots. It made it through -5F and a late frost after 80F temps this winter (I did put it on the ground and covered with some straw though, because I was nervous).
They are still adapting , give them time. They will soon be sending shoots through that soil like a rototiller. Then they will use the nutrients from that soil and bury you with berries. They are very heavy producers. The best trick they have is they bloom very late after all the freezes pass as you already know. They can handle -30F now. I used the healthiest berries and produced my patch from those. Most of the canes died i originally planted , some lived and acclimated to this area.
I planted a 25-30’ row of Chesters 16 months ago. It produced at least 20 gallons.
Ark Freedoms are interesting due to the bearing cycle, but no berry variety has ever pumped them out like Chesters for me. They do require good soil, mulch. Zero watering this year despite the fact it was very dry. They were the workhorse berries when I was still a lad living with my parents.
I love the story and the fact that they are heirloom! Happy to see the community keeping them going.
I also grew up in CA and remember this just like you described.
Sure, let’s try them out in Utah! I’m also curious about the alkaline soil performance. Will plant them and report back in a couple of growing seasons. I’ll keep them quarantined Also good to know on Newberry.
Also good to know on Newberry.