Thornless substitute for boysenberry and/or marionberry

I’m looking for a berry with a flavor that’s similar to boysenberry and/or marionberry, but without thorns. I’ve read that the thornless boysenberry cultivars have low vigor, low productivity, and have a tendency to produce thorny canes after a couple seasons. So I’m looking at other options.

Since I am in southeast MA zone 6b, I need something that will be cold hardy, disease resistant (since I am growing other raspberries and blackberries nearby), and heat tolerant (we got up to 100 °F one day last summer). My idea so far is to grow trailing thornless varieties like Columbia Star or Columbia Sunrise.

I am open to possibly growing a thorny type if they’re really worth it, but I’m not sure how well I’ll stick to training if I get stabbed every time I work with the plants. If I were to choose a thorny variety, I might pick Marionberry (which might not be cold hardy enough here but is more productive than boysenberry) or Newberry, which apparently is very vigorous and requires lots of training but is supposedly of good flavor.

Any other ideas?

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Columbia Star.. One Green World says has been rated as good or better than Marionberry.

I tried growing thornless blackberries here.. including Columbia Giant.. but my deer ate them. Only the most thorny have made it here.. Illini and Kiowa.

TNHunter

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Most all of your choices will not be reliable in Z6b. Some will not be reliable in Z7 testy winters.

That is why very few folks grow west coast trailing varieties in the NE with success.

Each time that winter damage occurs significantly you will have to start the process over again. So some will only be a once in 4 year if that success.

YMMV though.

Zodiac would be a good one to trial.

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