BlackBerry Arapahono less space than a long and well-known raspberry. And such attention is quite deserved, because the garden blackberry, the photo of varieties and the description of which amaze with the large size of the berries, is not only fruitful and tasty, but also quite simple in maintenance. The legislators of the world "blackberry fashion" and the leaders in the cultivation of this berry have long been Americans. It is not surprising that most modern varieties are creations of scientists and enthusiasts from the United States who use different types of blackberry in the selection work.
Blackberry species: photo and description
In most parts of Russia and Europe, the wild-growing planting of this perennial shrub is formed by blackberry( Rubus caesius) and blackberry( Rubus fruticosus).However, there are several other species, the berries of which are edible, and the plants have common features.
So, for example, the giant blackberry depicted in the photo from Armenia( Rubus armeniacus), sometimes referred to as Himalayan, has long been massively cultivated in the United States and Europe. The reason for the popularity of the bush was simple - large, massively ripening berries with a sweet dessert taste. But the species had a significant drawback. This culture seemed to be very barbed, and when a besspishnaya blackberry split( Rubus laciniatus) appeared, it was abandoned.
Today, on the plantations of the North American continent and around the world, varieties created on the basis of blackberry bushy and blackberry bluegrass, as well as thornless cultural forms, commonly known as Thornless, are grown.
At milestones of wild blackberry species, as they mature, they change color from green to red or brown, and then to dark purple or almost black. At the same time, the skin of the berries, as seen in the photo of the blackberry gray, is covered with bloom, which determines the name of the species and is absent in other species.
There is a difference between the species in the structure of the bush and the appearance of the leaves. Especially well it is noticeable when looking at the cutting blackberry, which is unique in its own way. In this species, the leaves are strongly dissected along the edge, consisting of 5–7 parts, multi-brush, and creeping flexible shoots.
Blackberry bushy and gray - common in Russia species that can be found on the edges, overgrown cuttings, in ravines and on the banks of rivers. However, the plants got into the garden only thanks to the breeders who created large-fruited and high-yield blackberry varieties.
Varieties of garden blackberries
Since several varieties were used for breeding varietal berries, perennial shrubs have a different structure and types of fruiting. Like their wild ancestors, many varieties have retained their creeping shape. Plants with long, up to several meters shoots are grown on the trellis, which allows you to get the highest yield from one bush.
Blackberry shrubs are more like raspberries. Such specimens bear fruit on two-year-old shoots that retain their erect or semi-adjacent form. Plant height reaches 2–2.5 meters and needs pruning.
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To simplify the care of plantings allowed obtaining varieties beshipnaya blackberries. Such varieties are easily identified by their name, to which the Thornless prefix, that is, “without thorns,” is added.
Blackberry has a long growing season. On the one hand, it allows the plant to protect itself from spring frosts and recurrent cold. But on the other hand, the crop ripens late, and in the northern regions of the ovary, and not poured, go under the snow. Repair blackberry, fructifying throughout the season, allows to solve the problem.
Today at the disposal of gardeners there are many interesting varieties of blackberry, giving a large dessert berry. It remains only to study the photos and descriptions of blackberry varieties and, based on the climatic conditions of the region, select the appropriate one.
Thornless Evergreen Blackberry Thornless Evergreen
A black variety of Thornless Evergreen blackberry was obtained thanks to a natural blackberry mutation that was dissected. As a result, European and American farmers at the beginning of the last century received an evergreen plant with excellent yields, moreover, not having thorns.
Although the 3-gram berries of the blackberry variety depicted in the photo are inferior in size and weight to most of the new varieties, their number per brush is unparalleled. In one inflorescence there can be up to 70 ovaries, which, after aging, acquire a blue-black color, a delicate aroma and a pleasant sweet-sour taste.
Openwork, but rather dense foliage of this variety of blackberry retains its vibrant color and under the snow, so the plant quickly resumes its growth in spring and blooms.
The plant has many advantages, among which are the yield, the absence of thorns, frost resistance and the ability to transport berries. The main drawback, besides the small mass of fruits, is the large blackberry seeds Evergreen Thornless.
Blackberry Black Satin( Black Satin)
Besshipye blackberry sprouts of this variety have a semi-creeping shape and form a powerful shrub. While the BlackSatin blackberry stalks do not reach a height of 2 meters, the plant maintains an upright appearance. As the shoots grow, they wil at the moment of fruiting reach 4–5 meters in length. Brilliant medium-sized berries have a mass of from 5 to 8 grams. The ripening of round or round-oval fruits is gradual, therefore the crop is harvested many times.
Ripe berries have a sweet and sour, refreshing taste for all-purpose use.
Blackberry Natchez( Natchez)
In 2007, American scientists from the state of Arkansas presented a new variety of blackberry Natchez. The peculiarity of the culture is the early ripening of a large, 8–10 gram mass of berry. Harvesting begins in early July and lasts until September. Glossy black berries of this variety have an oblong shape, small seeds, juicy flesh of dessert taste and bright aroma characteristic of the species.
The harvested crop is stored for several days without loss of quality and can be transported.
Blackberry Agaveam
The elongated shiny blackberries Agaveam ripen in August. Powerful shoots growing up to 3 meters bear fruit in the second year of life and withstand abundant crops. However, in winter without shelter, bushes are damaged by frost and require shelter. For the variety depicted in the photo, a gradual yield lasting about a month and excellent taste qualities of berries of universal purpose are characteristic.
Blackberry Ruben( Reuben)
Hybrid Blackberry Ruben fruits on the shoots of both the first and second year of life. The first harvest occurs in July, then very large berries weighing from 10 to 16 grams ripen at the end of the summer and pick them up until October. The blackberry repairman is distinguished not only by picking a berry twice, but also by high yields.
Powerful bushes have a upright shape, do without support and tolerate frost well.
Navaho Blackberry( Navaho)
The Navajo Besshipnaya Blackberry forms a large, upright shrub from a height of one and a half to two meters. The plant is unpretentious, requires minimal maintenance and does not need support. The harvest of large, oval or round berries ripens in August, and its harvest lasts about a month. The mass of the berry purple-black shade is 5-7 grams. Fruits are tasty, sweet with a slight sourness.
The advantages of this blackberry variety are high yields, excellent taste and type of berries.
Blackberry Triple Crown Thornless
Another American blackberry variety was created by Oregon breeders. A plant that produces stable yields forms a shrub with semi-creeping stems up to 3 meters in length. To get the most out of it, the Blackberry Triple Crown shoots are directed to trellis or strong supports that can withstand brushes with large berries ripening in the second half of summer.
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The peculiarity of the variety is the resistance of berries to elevated temperatures and transportation, the bright taste of fruits and their consistently large sizes throughout the entire ripening period. The average yield per bush is about 10 kg of dessert berries, which do not change the taste even when grown without shading.
Blackberry Triple Crown, like many American varieties, does not have high winter hardiness and needs warming.
Blackberry Chester( Chester Thornless)
Garden Blackberry favorably differs from wild species in the size of berries, yield. Some varieties, such as the blackberry Chester, besides, do not have thorns, which greatly simplifies the cultivation and care of plantings. Culture refers to varieties of late ripening. The first berries weighing from 5 to 8 grams are ready to be harvested in the middle of August, the latest black fragrant fruits can be enjoyed closer to October. Fruits are well stored, retain their shape and sweetness. Shrubs with a wide crown are easy to maintain and easily hide in the winter.
Blackberry Karaka Black( Karaka Black)
Studying descriptions and photos of blackberry varieties, you can not only assess the strengths and weaknesses of the culture, but also make amazing discoveries. For example, the new blackberry Karak Black comes from New Zealand, and in the genus the plant has not only its closest relatives, but also hybrids derived from crossing blackberries with raspberries.
This method allows scientists to achieve the largest berries, to strengthen their delicate aroma and make the fruit more adapted for transportation. A lot of elongated, delicious berries of the blackberry variety shown in the photo is about 10 grams. The skin is thick, glossy black. The flesh is juicy, tasty.
Due to gradual ripening, a consistently high yield is harvested for 1.5–2 months.
Description of the blackberry variety Loch Ness( Loch Ness)
Bright aroma, excellent taste with a tart shade and a beautiful, leveled form of berries weighing from 5 to 10 grams in weight are characteristic features of the bearingless blackberry Loch Ness, thanks to which the variety was highly appreciated by the British Royal Society of Gardeners.
About 15 kg of ripe berries can be obtained from each bush at the dacha, and under conditions of intensive cultivation, the yield rises to 25–30 kg. At the same time, the fruits retain their appearance and taste for several days, which is important for commercial use of plantings. According to the description, Lough Ness blackberry is ready for harvest in mid-August.
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Blackberry Polar( Polar)
Polish breeders bred Blackberry Polar, interesting to Russian gardeners due to its high frost resistance and the possibility of growing bushes without additional shelter. Vigorous plants provide stable yields of large oval-shaped berries with shiny black skin and excellent sweet taste. Fruits can be used for home canning and eating fresh.
Blackberry Loch Tay( Loch Tay)
Besshishnaya Blackberry Loch Tey of complex hybrid origin gives sweet large berries with dense pulp and smooth glossy peel of black color. Aligned dessert fruits begin to ripen in the last decade of July, and the harvest does not stop for about a month later. Semi-shrub bushes are formed from strong, beshipyh shoots that form a compact, easy-to-care crown.
Description of the blackberry variety Tornfree( Thornfree)
One of the first breeding blackberry varieties, which still enjoys well-deserved popularity among summer residents. According to the description of the variety, the blackberry Tornfrey forms a large semi-carcass bush consisting of shoots up to 5 meters long.
Rigid stems excellently withstand the weight of oval berries weighing between August and September weighing from 5 to 8 grams.
The variety stands out for disease resistance and high yield.
In one brush can be from 30 to 120 berries. Black leveled fruit has a juicy flesh and excellent sweet-and-sour taste, but when fully ripe the berries crumple and are not stored.
Description of the blackberry variety Giant( Bedford Giant)
Planting Blackberry Bedford Giant equally well established in industrial and private gardening. According to the description of the variety, the Blackberry Giant is a plant with creeping, spike-covered shoots, in which dense black berries weighing up to 7 grams begin to ripen in July. The fruits have excellent taste, the stems grow well and tolerate winter.
Blackberry Arapaho( Arapaho)
American blackberry varieties are one of the most popular in the world. Blackberry Arapaho, obtained by scientists from the state of Arkansas in 1993, entered into an extensive series of plants, named after the tribes of American Indians. Among the non-shingles, this variety is considered the earliest.
Berries weighing up to 7 grams ripen in the second half of July. Sweet fruits with a black shiny skin have a wide conical shape and juicy flesh, the taste of which is practically not affected by small seeds.
High-productive bushes are not afraid of disease and can withstand temperatures down to –24 ° C.
Blackberry Kiowa( Kiowa)
Another variety from Arkansas scientists will give gardeners incredibly large berries, which can be called a record. Blackberry cultivar Kiova bears fruits weighing up to 20 grams with medium-sized seeds, dense skin and excellent pulp flavor. The berries ripen gradually, tolerate transportation well and do not shrink to the end of the season. The bushes themselves, formed by upright shoots up to 160 cm high, can withstand temperatures down to –23 ° C.
Blackberry Apache( Apache)
A crop of cold-resistant Apache varieties from the United States was first introduced to the horticultural community in 1999.Besshipnaya blackberries with vigorous upright shoots gives large, up to 10 grams in weight, elongated berries of sweet taste. Fragrant fruits are equally suitable for fresh consumption and for freezing. The grade is allocated with the excellent productivity comparable to the best commercial versions, and also high frost resistance.
Fruiting of some varieties of blackberry - video
