Blackberry Varieties

Prime-Jimtm and Prime-Jantm
NEW Prime-Ark tm
"Primocate--Fruiting Blackberry"
for temperature sensitive areas!
The University of Arkansas has introduced two NEW primocane fruiting blackberry varieties. These will grow a cane and produce fruit in the same growing season (similar to the Heritage red raspberry). This is a major breakthrough for those in northern climates where cold winter temperatures traditionally do not allow for overwintering of canes. The cold sensitivity of the canes is no longer an issue as they do not have to go through the winter. These two new varieities will allow the berries to be grown anywhere the summer is long enough to grow the cane and ripen the fruit. At this time we believe this northern limit to be mid Minnesota to central New York. We recommend Prime Jim and Prime Jan for homeowners and very limited trial for commercial growers.

Much still needs to be learned as to the proper culture in growing this new type of blackberry. Both varieties have the ability to produce two crops in traditional blackberry growing areas. One crop in the fall from the primocanes (new shoots) and a summer crop the following year from the floral canes (overwintered canes). At Indiana Berry and Plant Company we see the greatest opportunity for these new varieties in the Northern climates where you can finally produce fresh blackberries by mowing off the canes each winter and producing only the fall crop each year on the new canes. Both varieities have good upright growth and if tipped should not require any terllising. Both varieities are thorny.

Harvest of the fall (primocane) crop will start in mid July in Arkansas to early September in New York and continue utnil a killing frost. It is too early to give exact production expectations but it appears that Prime Jan will have bigger individual fruit size and Prime Jim will have higher overall yields in the northern areas.

Be sure to order early and remember we recommend these for home gardens and trial plantings for commercial growers.

Black Butte--This new trailing blackberry produces HUGE fruit, it's reported to be the biggest fruit grown in Oregon trials up to 2 inches long. Black Butte could be a showcase blackberry for the skilled home or market gardener. Although a thorny variety, the Black Butte thorns are not as threatening as most eastern varieties. The canes are vigorous but not winter hardy. The canes have survived 10° F but would probably suffer with any lower winter temperatures. Black Butte has been successful in trials in the Pacific Northwest and North Carolina. This big fruit may be worth taking canes off the trellis and covering for the winter. This new variety will be available in very limited quantities and should be planted only as a trial.

Chickasaw--(New Patent) This new erect thorny blackberry produces big crops of large, long cylindrical fruit with a very attractive glossy black color. Chickasaw will produce larger fruit that will handle better in storage and through the marketing channels than the fruit of Shawnee. The fruiting season is similar to that of Shawnee. Chickasaw can be grown in a hedgerow without trellising when tipped at 42" to control the primocane growth and promote lateral branching. Chicasaw should be tried by all commercial growers who have had success with Shawnee as it should have better quality larger fruit and a longer shelf life. Early tests show that it should perform well in areas where Shawnee, Choctaw or Kiowa are adapted.

Choctaw--1988 (Patent #PP6678) University of Arkansas (Ark. 526 x Rosborough)--Choctaw is the earliest ripening blackberry. The first berries are ready for picking shortly after strawberries finish. This variety has smaller seeds than most other blackberries, and is medium size with mild flavor.

Illini Hardy--U.S. plant pending. (NY 95 x Chester) This Illinois blackberry, was released in 1988, tested as ILL 4-1, and is the hardiest of currently available cultivars. It survived -24ºF at Urbana, IL (1989-1990), has produced for backyard gardeners in Bloomington, MN and Madison, WI. Illini Hardy has an extended harvest season, but not as long as Chester. The berry is medium in size, attractive, shiny black, and of good flavor. The plant is vigorous, erect and thorny. In comparison with Darrow, it is more vigorous, hardier, and a more consistent producer of quality fruit.

Kiowa--(Patented) is the latest release from the Arkansas breeding program. Kiowa is erect growing, and very productive producing the largest fruit and providing the longest harvest season (6 weeks) of any of the previously released Arkansas cultivars. Kiowa is thorny and is not as erect as Shawnee but are self-supporting and do not require trellising. Kiowa will product large fruit all season but overall tonnage yields for the year may not be as great as Shawnee but should be similar to Choctaw. Very large fruit, long harvest season. Sounds great. Order early--very limited quantities.

Shawnee--(Plant Patent #5686)--Shawnee has produced as much as 13,000 pounds per acre in Arkansas fruit sub-station tests. It does not appear to have a peak during the harvest season--producing heavily for several consecutive weeks. Shawnee extends the marketing season for blackberries for local marketers. It is sweet and juicy!



THORNLESS BLACKBERRIES

Apache--(New Patent) This new release from Arkansas produces larger fruit and higher yields than any of the other previously released Arkansas thornless erect blackberry cultivars. Apache will ripen 10 days or more later than Arapaho but earlier than Navaho. The Apache fruit are blocky and conical with a very attractive glossy black color. Early reports show fruit to be larger than Arapaho or Navaho with eating and holding characteristics to be better than Arapaho but not quite as good as Navaho fruit. Canes of Apache are more erect than other thornless varieties and can be grown without a trellis when primocanes are tipped at 42" to control primocane length and encourage lateral shoot growth. Apache should grow well where Arapaho and Navaho have been successfully grown. Very limited quantities are available for spring 2001 - Order early!!

Arapaho--(Plant Patented #8510)--Arapaho fruit is short-conic, bright glossy black and firm. Soluble solids concentration are high but slightly lower than that of Navaho. An important positive characteristic is its small seed size. Seeds are significantly smaller than those of Navaho and Shawnee, but slightly larger than those of Choctaw. It ripens 11 days earlier than Navaho and 2 days before Shawnee, and it is the earliest ripening thornless blackberry cultivar known to date. The fruiting period of Arapaho is concentrated into less than 4 weeks. The plants are moderately vigorous and erect in growth habit. They have good resistance to cold injury at temperatures as low as -24C. No disease problems have been noted following a fungicide program consisting of one application of liquid lime-sulfur at budbreak. No orange rust has been observed when grown in areas of high inoculum. This berry is more prolific in producing primocanes from roots than the Navaho. The outstanding characteristics are thornless, erect, self-supporting canes, good fruit quality, earliness of ripening, and its ability to establish a full fruiting row quickly. This variety will compliment Navaho in providing a long harvest season for quality, thornless blackberries.

Chester--1985 Maryland (Thornfree x Darrow)--Chester is the most winter hardy of the thornless varieties. It is a late season berry with large fruit and mild flavor. Chester is most resistant to caneblight caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea. The fruit is of high quality, does not soften or leak color on hot sunny days.

Hull--1981 Maryland (Thornfree x Darrow)-Second in winter hardiness to Chester, this fruit is large with a mild flavor. It ripens after the Black Satin. Hull has a higher yield and is great for u-pick!

Ouachita --(Patent Pending) This blackberry is the latest release from the University of Arkansas. Ouachita, pronounced WAH-shitah, is a very upright growing vigorous thornless blackberry. Plants can be self supporting when primocanes are tipped at 45 inches. However, trellising may be needed to keep a full crop from leaning out of the row. Fruit quality is excellent. Berries are firm, sweet and larger than Navaho and Arapaho, but smaller than Apache, averaging 6 grams each. Fruit matures about 7 days before Navaho starting in early June in Arkansas and mid July in Michigan. Yields are high, sometimes exceeding those of Apache and Navaho in most tests, and Arapaho consistently. Although it is too early to know for sure, winter hardiness appears similar to Apache and hardier than Arapaho, but silightly less hardy than Navaho. Ouchita appears to be resistant to double blossom and no orange rust infections have been observed in any of the trials. Only when exposed to extremely wet conditions have anthracnose infections been reported.

Navaho--1988 (Patent #) 6679) University of Arkansas (Ark. 583 x Ark. 631)--Navaho has great potential as the first upright, thornless blackberry having the best flavor of any blackberry. However, the berries are the smallest of all varieties. It has yields as high as 8,000 pounds or more per acre. The canes should be topped at shoulder height a couple of times during the season. A good berry for shipping.

Triple Crown—Large, sweet, aromatic blackberries called "Triple Crown" may run away from the competition once they begin appearing in supermarkets around the country in a few years. Triple Crown is the newest thornless blackberry from the Agricultural Research Service's Fruit Laboratory in Bellsville, MD. The berry is named for its three crowning attributes—flavor, productivity and vigor. It's being offered for sale by some nurseries for the first time this year. Triple Crown ripens from about July 10 to about August 10. The plants yield large, glossy black fruits that are pleasantly firm and able to withstand the rigors of shipping. Attractive and flavorful, it ripens later than the popular "Hull Thornless" blackberry and a week or so earlier than another widely planted berry, "Chester Thornless." Triple Crown berries are larger than both of these other commercially grown varieties, and should help ensure that berry farmers, owners of pick-your-own operations and backyard gardeners have a constant supply of big, flavorful thornless blackberries throughout the ripening season.

Black Butte
Chickasaw
Choctaw
Illini Hardy
Shawnee
Kiowa
Prime-Jim*
Prime-Jan*

2
3
1
4
5
2-3
*
*

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes