Recommended blackberries for southern California?

General Fruit Growing
#1

Any recommendations for best blackberry in southern California? Years ago I grew Apache and it was good but I got a lot of bug damage. I tried Navaho but rabbits kept eating the plants so I have yet to get a berry on it. I planted Prime Ark Freedom a couple years ago and it is strong and healthy but 2 years in a row now I do not find the flavor as good as the wild blackberries (Himalayan) that are so aromatic.

From reading up it sounds like Marionberry, Boysenberry (the variety of Knotts Berry Farm), and Olallieberry may be the best for flavor?

Just curious if others have grown these or others they recommend. I see Marionberry was derived from the Himalayan blackberry so I might plant those if I can find them at a nursery. If it has that Himalayan blackberry smell it would be worth it for the aroma alone. Thanks for sharing your experiences!

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#2

I havent tried marionberry but of the ones i’ve grown (navaho, apache, black satin and triple crown) the triple crown is definitely the sweetest and most flavorful.

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#3

Thank you! I will add that to the list. I found Marionberry at Walter Andersen nursery yesterday and bought it so I can at least try that and look around for the others during the next bare root season.

#4

What Lids said are very good flavor and will work.