Brambles - Production Management and Marketing

Bulletin 782-99

Chapter 3 Selection and Care of Plants

Blackberry Cultivars

Blackberry - Thorny

Choctaw - (Ark. 876 x Darrow x Brazos x Rosborough - Released from University of Arkansas, 1988) - Productive plants may not be hardy. Medium-sized fruits have very small seeds. Immune to orange rust. Does not store well. Blooms early and may be subject to frost.

Darrow - ((Eldorado x Brewer) x Hedrick - Released from New York, 1958) - Very hardy, vigorous plants have large thorns. Large and glossy fruits are of excellent quality. Good yields. Long season.

Kiowa - (Ark. 1380 - Complex cross - From Arkansas, 1996) - Plants have medium vigor. Very large fruit (greater than 10 to 12 gms.), more firm and stores better than Shawnee, ripens three days after Shawnee, long fruiting period, appears immune to orange rust. Adapted to same area as Shawnee. Better fruit size, fruit firmness, and cold hardiness than Choctaw.

Shawnee - (Ark. 730 - Cherokee x (Thornfree x Brazos) - From Arkansas, 1986) - Vigorous and productive plants have large, medium-firm, and flavorful fruit. Mid-season. Long harvest period, productive to -10°F, erect cane, immune to orange rust. Does not store well after harvest.

Blackberry - Thornless

Arapaho - (Ark. 1536 (Ark. 631 x Ark. 883) - From Arkansas, 1992) - Moderately vigorous plants may be more hardy than Navaho. Resistant to orange rust. Medium-sized fruit is conical with small seeds and good flavor. Early season; fruit ripens 11 days before Navaho. Concentrated four-week season. Stores well. Good fresh or processed. For trial.

Figure 8. Thornless blackberry.

Black Satin - (SIUS 68-6-17 = SIUS 47 (US 1482 x Darrow) x Thornfree. Released from USDA, 1974) - Vigorous, semi-erect plants are productive and resistant to Anthracnose. Large, firm fruit is dull black when ripe and slightly tart. Recommended for jams, jellies, and pies. Late season; one week after Dirksen. One of Ohio's best performers.

Chester Thornless - (SIUS 64-21-11 = I US 47 x Thornfree - Released from USDA, 1985) - This is a new cultivar that promises to be hardy. Vigorous, productive plants are resistant to cane blight but susceptible to fire blight. High-quality fruit is large (5-8 gram berries) and may be difficult to pick. Good shelf life and good for pick-your-own. High yields.Higher anthocyanin content than Navaho, but similar to Dirksen and Hull. Late season. Recommended for lower Midwest.

Dirksen - (SIUS 64-21-8 = (US 1482 x Darrow) x Thornfree - Released from USDA, 1974) - Vigorous plants are hardy and resistant to Anthracnose. Tolerant to leaf spot. Large, firm fruit is flavorful and slightly tart with excellent quality. Late season.

Hull Thornless - ((US 1487 x Darrow) x Thornfree - Released from USDA, 1981) - Plants are not as hardy as Dirksen and Black Satin. Sweet fruit are large, firm, sweet, and hold their color under high temperatures. Recommended for pick-your-own. Mid to late season.

Navaho - (Ark. 1172 = Arkansas 583 x Arkansas 631 - Released from Arkansas, 1988) - Erect plants have low vigor and moderate hardiness and moderate yield. Firm fruit is medium-sized and flavorful; high soluble solids. Shelf life is 14 to 21 days at 34°F. Mid-season. Susceptible to orange rust.

Triple Crown - ((US 1638 = SIUS 68-2-5 or C47 (Black Satin x SIUS 64-21-4) x Arkansas 545 (Darrow x Brazos)) - Released from USDA, 1996) - Vigorous, productive plant has numerous canes and laterals, which makes fruit more uniform and easier to harvest. Firm fruit has firm large seeds and is bigger and has higher soluble solids than Chester. Earlier than Chester by four to seven days. For trial.

Table 4. Black and Purple Raspberry and Blackberry Cultivars
Cultivar	Yield	Berry Size1	Winter Hardiness	Firmness and Quality2	Approx. Ripening Date3
Black Raspberry
Early Sweet	?	Medium	Good	Good	Early
Allen	Medium-High	Small	Fair	Good	Early
Logan	Low	Small	Good	Good	Early
Dundee	Medium	Small	Good	Good	Early
Huron	Medium	Small	Good	?	Early
Bristol	High	Small	Very Good	Very Good	Early
Black Hawk	Low-Medium	Small	Very Good	Fair	Early
Haut	Medium	Small	Fair	Very Good	Early
Jewell	Medium-High	Medium	Fair	Good	Middle
Allegheny	High	Very Large	?	Good	Middle
Cumberland	High	Large	Good	Very Good	Middle
Mac Black4	Medium	Medium	?	Good	Late
Lowden	?	Medium	Good	?	Very Late
Purple Raspberry
Brandywine	High	Medium	Good	Good	Middle
Amethyst	High	Medium-Lrg	Good	Good	Middle
Success	High	Small	Very Good	Good	Late
Royalty	Medium-High	Large	Very Good	Good	Late
Estate	?	Large	?	?	Very Late
Clyde	?	Large	Good	Good	?
Blackberry - Thorny
Choctaw	Low	Small	Fair	Good	Late
Shawnee	Medium	Large	Good	Very Good	Late
Darrow	High	Large	Very Good	Very Good	Late
Kiowa4	?	Very Lrg	Good	?	Late
Blackberry - Thornless
Arapaho	Medium	Medium	Good	Good	Middle
Navaho	Low	Small	Fair	Very Good	Late
Hull	High	Medium	Fair	Good	Late
Triple Crown4	?	Medium-Lrg	?	Very Good	Late
Black Satin	High	Medium-Lrg	Fair	Good	Late
Chester	High	Large	Good	Good	Late
Dirksen	High	Large	Good	Very Good	Late
* Phytophthora root rot is not a consideration for these cultivars. 1Berry Size: < 2.0 gm = Small; 2.0 - 3.0 gm = Medium; >3.0 gm = Large. 2 Firmness and Quality (cohesive, color, berry shape, etc). 3 Approximate ripening date for central Ohio. 4 Recommended for trial.
Sources: The Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit Varieties. Third Edition. ASHS Press. Alexandria, VA. 1997. Ontario Berry Growers Association. 1998 Raspberry Day Program Notes. Milton, Ontario. March 25, 1998. Bramble Production Guide. Chapter 4. Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service. Ithaca, N.Y. Pritts, Marvin, and Handley, David, Eds. 1994. Cold hardiness in Rubus. Fruit Varieties Journal. 49(1):52-58. Hummer, et al. 1995.