This looks really nice. Is the snowbank one the 1st picture? So the polarberry is the one with the larger berries?
I’m waiting for my polarberry to grow. Its in its first year, so i’ll have to see what the next year will bring.
Recently I did a bit of digging about the iceberg, snowbanks predecessor. Turns out it made it to Europe under the german name “Eisberg” around 1900~ A bit of searching via google books showed me that the variety seemed to have good big fruits, but it was not hardy enough for harsh winters. So canes were dying readily when it got too cold.
The second two pictures are most likely snowbank. it was planted at the end. The first picture should be polar. I barely had either set a full fruit, thill this year… Bu I would venture to guese they will both be about the same size 1" long
Can’t get drupelets to form on Polar Blackberry, depsite obtaining plants from 2 sources. A few have a minimal drupelet, most never form. Pleasant mild Winters (z7b) and Springs, Hot humid monsoon Summers,
Lots of flowers, healthy growth (thorny canes, upright to 7 feet), many fruits, but drupelets don’t form, just turn brown
. pollinators seem to be fine for neighborhood wild and cultivated black blackberries. any suggestions? anyne grow white blackberries in monsoon-summer areas?
if you go back to posts from 2021 you will see my berries looked to be in the same state your now. I also had wild blackberries but pollinators did not care to make the trip. Other blackberries are at different polidicy levels and flowering time so there no help. Polar berries from two different sources are still polarberries. I planted Burbanks Snowbank a year later. Now that both are fully mature this is what I got this year. You should also cut the canes off at the top when they hit 5ft .
Luthur Burbank famed breader bred an albino blackberry found in the wild in NJ, named crystal white with other pale blackberries and the popular strain lawton cultivar. Until he got his snowbank released in 1914. My Snowbanks have as many druplets and are about as big as a typical store berry, about 1". Polar was a albino found in South Central Illinois and named Nettleton Creamy White when it was patented in 2006. The berries are about 1/2" when full.
flavorwise both do not taste like extra rich store berries but the Snowbanks defiantly taste more domesticated then the Polars.
They are both rubus allegheniensis and flower at exactly the same time wild berries do. I absolutely believe that cross pollination help them set fruit.
Finally getting some fruits off of “Snowbank” white blackberry. The canes don’t really seem to form whole berries. Kind of weird. And nothing special in the taste department. But if you’re into vigorous and thorny, this is the plant for you!
my first snowbank failed so the second didn’t go into the ground until 2019. I did not have my first successful year till 2022 when both where finaly to production maturity. But 2023 has been even better.
Thanks for the breakdown kiwi. Learned about these a few months ago and have been on my list ever since. A few sites have the same exact image used for either snowbank or polar so I’ve been wondering the differences looking for them. Sounds like a fun plant even if they dont yield heavily
Found them for 6$ @ double a vineyards so gonna give em a shot for next spring. Onegreenworld says zone 5 so we’ll see. Those photos you posted are beautiful.
Hi there! This chain is a bit old, but thought I’d ask if you or anyone else still had these Polarberries. It seems like the websites that used to carry them (Gurneys, Starks, etc.) no longer do - not sure of any place that does carry actual plants. Thanks
I still have mine. I need to maintain it better but its doing well. Its is capable of producing the wall of white berries that looks like AI.
I believe that is due to it having a Burbank Snowbank planted next two it. They are both diploid Rubus allegheniensis prior to both going into bloom the fruit set was minimal.
They are planted right next to each other and they run so I only have a vague idea which is which at this point.
I think there’s a photo on the forum somewhere that will remind me which is on the left and which is on the right.
At some point I will try my hand at tissue culturing If there no longer being marketed we have to help keep the strain going.
Awesome! I have some snowbank I am starting this spring, too. If you do ever get the time and are willing to sell a few starts please do let me know. I am wanting to preserve these varieties as well and potentially use them for breeding, so it would be greatly appreciated.
Likely virus infected. No cure for backyard grower. Can be cleaned up through tissue culture by getting not yet infected tissue from growing tips. So I am told.
