Blackberries
Trailing black berries are closely related to red raspberries. They produce long stout canes requiring support. The fruit is similar to raspberries but a white core remains part of the fruit when picked. Overall, they are the least hardy of the small fruits grown in Washington and some varities may be damaged in very cold winters. Marionberry and Boysenberry are the most easily damaged.
Varieties
- Cascade - Excellent flavor, medium sized, dark red, soft fruit. Vigorous and productive. Planting stock may be hard to find.
- Boysenberry - Also called nectarberry. Very large, dark berries, rather tart.
- Marionberry - Developed in Oregon. Excellent flavor, medium to long fruit with wild blackberry taste. Very thorny. The plants are vigorous with canes up to 20 feet long. Marionberries are the standard of the blackberry industry in the Pacific Northwest.
- Himalayan - One of the "wild" blackberries of the PNW. Medium size dark fruit, fair flavor.
- Thornless Evergreen - Top commercial berry, medium, firm, sweet.Plants are vigorous.
- Tayberry - Cross between red raspberry and blackberry, very susceptible to leaf and cane spot, developed in Scotland, good flavor. Extremely thorny.
- Kotata - Vigorous Oregon variety, firm fruit. Thorns similar to Boysenberry.
- Loganberry - Old time favorite, low production, thornless cultivars, excellent for pies. Planting may be difficult to find.
- Cascade Trailing - Native "wild" blackberry. Improved types available, small fruit, flavorful.
- Triple Crown - New from Oregon, semi-erect variety, superior to Chester.
- Black Butte - A new release from Oregon. Early fresh market, flavor not as good as Marion, fruit up to two inches long.
Planting
- Very similar to planting red raspberries.
- Trellising systems. Long canes are generally "woven" on a two-wire trellis system, 18 inches apart, 5 feet from ground level. Primocanes can be left on the ground until after harvest or trained on a wire 18 inches above the ground.
- Pruning. Cut root suckers as they appear. Remove fruiting canes after harvest. Weave new canes around top wire in fall or leave on ground until spring to reduce winter injury.
Diseases and Pests
- Same as raspberries. Leaf and cane spot.
- Red berry mite.
Further Information
Written by Jim Kropf, WSU Area Extension Agent, King/Pierce Counties
Reviewed 1998.
