Commercial Horticulture - Fruits and Nuts
Blackberries
Arkansas Floricane-Fruiting
Varieties •
Prime-Ark™ Primocane-Fruiting Varieties
•
Older Varieties
Blackberries are a native crop to many areas of the United States and are
adapted to a wide range of environments. Unlike many fruit crops, blackberries
can be grown with little to no pesticide use in the home garden and require less
inputs in commercial production.
Wide adaptation to soil type is found with blackberries. The preferred soil
pH is 5.5 to 6.5. Good drainage is required. Plants should not be grown in sites
where water stands for long periods.
The most limiting factor in blackberry production in the northern United
States is winter hardiness, or resistance to winter injury to the canes. The
Arkansas varieties lack hardiness in the upper Midwest and northward. The major
limitation to blackberry production in the deep South is the fungal disease
double blossom/rosette, to which the Arkansas-developed thornless varieties show
resistance.
The Arkansas varieties have been shown to be adapted statewide. They are
upright in growth habit and should be grown in a hedgerow-type system. They do
not require the trellising system used for trailing and semi-erect varieties.
Blackberries are established from plants or root cuttings spaced 2 to 3 feet
apart. The first crop is harvested the year after planting. A description of
Arkansas varieties and their characteristics follows.
Arkansas Floricane-Fruiting Varieties
Prime-Ark™
Primocane-Fruiting Varieties
|
Older Varieties
Released Prior to 1980 and Not Patented |
| |
Cherokee |
Comanche |
Cheyenne |
| Type |
Thorny, erect |
Thorny, erect |
Thorny, erect |
| Date of Release |
1974 |
1974 |
1976 |
| Fruit Size |
5 grams |
6 grams |
6 grams |
| Yield |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
| Maturity Date |
June 14 |
June 5 |
June 10 |
Flavor/Sweetness
(Soluble Solids) |
Very Good
9.7 percent S S |
Good
9.8 percent S S |
Good
9.7 percent S S |
Licensed Propagators
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