BLACKBERRIES

The blackberry plant is a thorny shrub that grows wild in many parts of Oklahoma and produces delicious fruits that can be eaten fresh or used for jams, jellies, syrups, and other tasty treats.  Blackberries are easy to grow, and when they receive proper care, they can produce crops for two decades.  The Oklahoma State Extension put together an incredibly helpful guide detailing site preparation, planting, general care, and much more; you can access that guide here: Blackberry and Raspberry Culture for the Home Garden

Blackberry Varieties

When selecting blackberry brambles for your garden, it’s essential to pick those that thrive in your region and provide a robust yield. Here’s a roundup of top blackberry varieties sold at Marcum’s Nursery:

The Sweetie Pie blackberry is a favorite among those with a sweet tooth. It’s a thornless variety, making it easier to manage without the risk of pricks. This particular blackberry bramble tends to produce generous clusters of berries, allowing for a good-sized harvest. These brambles mature at a height and width of 3-4 feet.

• Productivity: Sweetie Pie is a high-yield variety, producing up to eight pounds of berries per plant.
• Pollinators: Self-fertile

The Baby Cakes® blackberry is another thornless type that is perfect for small spaces. Its compact size and tidy growth make it an excellent choice for container gardening on a sunny balcony. Mature height and width is similar to Sweetie Pie at 3-4 feet.

• Productivity: The Baby Cakes® blackberry is known to produce fruit in the first year of planting, making it an ideal choice for those looking for a quick yield.
• Pollinators: Self-fertile

Learn more about Baby Cakes® on our Plant Library.

Chester is a vigorous, semi-erect blackberry that flourishes in a wide range of climates. Its flexibility, combined with a high tolerance for diseases, makes it a popular choice for many gardeners. The mature height and width for Chester blackberries is between 4-5 feet.

• Productivity: The Chester blackberry is an incredibly productive variety, with each plant able to yield up to 30 pounds of berries.
• Pollinators: Self-fertile but can benefit from cross-pollination. Raspberry Rubus ‘Chester’ is a particularly high-yielding variety that pairs well with Chester blackberries for pollination.

Learn more about Chester on our Plant Library.

The Navaho Thornless blackberry stands out for its firm, glossy berries, which make for excellent transportation and storage. This plant is low maintenance, with excellent heat and drought tolerance once established. The mature height for Navaho blackberries is between 5-6 feet and width between 7-8 feet.

• Productivity: The Navajo blackberry is a high-yield variety, with each plant capable of producing up to 10 pounds of fruit.
• Pollinators: Self-fertile

Learn more about Navaho Thornless on our Plant Library.

The Triple Crown blackberries are large, and the plants are thornless, which makes for easy picking. They are a prolific producer of juicy berries in mid-summer. Mature height and width is similar to Sweetie Pie and Baby Cakes at 3-4 feet.

• Productivity: The Triple Crown blackberry is able to yield up to 25 pounds of fruit.
• Pollinators: Self-fertile.

Learn more about Triple Crown on our Plant Library.

SOURCES

• https://extension.okstate.edu/topics/plants-and-animals/crops/fruits-and-tree-nuts/berries/
• https://freedomtreefarms.com/