In Europe alone there are more than 2,000 different types of blackberries. For garden lovers, the distinction between wild varieties and cultivated varieties for the garden is particularly interesting.
Which types of blackberries are suitable for the garden?
There are numerous types of blackberries for the garden, including thornless varieties such as Navaho, Loch Ness and Thornless Evergreen, as well as thorny varieties such as Theodor Reimers. Upright-growing varieties such as Navaho are ideal for balconies, while crosses with raspberries, such as the Tayberry, offer red-fruited varieties.
Wild blackberry vines and high-yielding cultivars
In forest clearings and on undeveloped embankments, wild blackberries can sometimes spread unhindered; with their extremely resilient blackberry roots, they often cause a lot of work for the owners of gardens near the forest. While the small fruits of wild blackberry varieties are valued for their special aroma, cultivated varieties in the garden and on the balcony offer larger fruits and better controllability. Blackberries for the garden usually do not multiply as much as their wild relatives, and many varieties no longer have any thorns due to breeding efforts.
Varieties with and without thorns
The Theodor Reimers variety is one of the cultivars that still have thorns today. Nevertheless, this variety is very popular with gardeners because it is less susceptible to disease and produces high yields in most locations. However, many modern and very common blackberry varieties no longer have any thorns, including varieties such as:
- Navaho
- Loch Ness
- Thornless Evergreen
If you don't want to spoil your children's enjoyment of harvesting blackberries in the garden, you should prefer varieties without thorns.
Upright growing and strong climbing varieties
Especially when growing blackberries on the balcony, you should choose blackberry cultivars that grow more upright and are easy to control in their growth. The Navaho variety and its sub-varieties grow upright and space-saving with a climbing aid. Other varieties such as Black Satin and Asterina, on the other hand, form long tendrils for which a trellis should ideally be set up.
Crossing with raspberries
There are now not only black blackberries on the market, but also red-fruited varieties. These are large-fruited crosses between blackberries and raspberries, which are usually sold under the name “Tayberry”.
Tips & Tricks
A combination of early, mid-early and late blackberry varieties in your own garden is a good idea to extend the harvest time accordingly.
