Plant Library

Other Names:  Thornless Primocane Blackberry

Group/Class:  Primocane - Fall Bearing

Description:

The first thornless primocane selection, producing medium-large black fruit with a sweet tangy taste; flowers and fruits on each seasons new branches, potentially giving two crops each year; great for eating fresh, pies, and sauce; self pollinating

Edible Qualities

Prime-Ark® Freedom Blackberry is a large shrub that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces large clusters of black heart-shaped berries which are usually ready for picking from mid summer to early fall. The berries have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

The berries are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Preserves
• Canning
• Freezing
• Sauces

Features & Attributes

Prime-Ark® Freedom Blackberry features showy clusters of white star-shaped flowers along the branches from late spring to mid summer. It has green deciduous foliage. The fuzzy oval compound leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color. It features an abundance of magnificent black berries from mid summer to early fall.

This is an open multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage. This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep. Each spring, cut back all dead and two-year old canes to the ground, leaving only last year's growth standing. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering
• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Prime-Ark® Freedom Blackberry is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Prime-Ark® Freedom Blackberry will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

This shrub may not always play well with others; as such, it is best grown in its own designated garden space or isolated area of an edibles garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.