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// SPECIES PROFILE · SHRUB · FOOD CROP · CULTIVATED

Thornless Blackberry

Rubus subg. Rubus (cultivated hybrids)

Thornless Blackberry (Rubus subg. Rubus (cultivated hybrids)) is a cultivated fruiting shrub grown for its edible fruit. Family: Rosaceae (rose family). Originally from Bred in Arkansas from North American blackberries. Hardy in zones 5a–9a. Mature size 3'–6'. Harvest in northeastern Oklahoma: Jun–Jul.

// QUICK FACTS
Family
Rosaceae (rose family)
Group
shrub · perennial
Origin
Bred in Arkansas from North American blackberries · cultivated
USDA zones
Zones 5a–9a
Mature size
3'–6'
Sun
Full sun
Water
Medium
Edible parts
fruit
Harvest (NE OK)
Jun–Jul
Garden role
University of Arkansas cultivars like Ouachita & Natchez · bred for Southern summers · easy picking
Thornless Blackberry (Rubus subg. Rubus (cultivated hybrids))
Rubus subg. Rubus (cultivated hybrids) — Thornless Blackberry. Photo by Ragesoss via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Thornless Blackberry (Rubus subg. Rubus (cultivated hybrids)) is a cultivated fruiting shrub grown for its edible fruit. Family: Rosaceae (rose family). Originally from Bred in Arkansas from North American blackberries. Hardy in zones 5a–9a. Mature size 3'–6'. Harvest in northeastern Oklahoma: Jun–Jul.

Why it's on this list: University of Arkansas cultivars like Ouachita & Natchez · bred for Southern summers · easy picking. A cultivated food crop — not a native — grown alongside regional natives in Rooted Revival's kitchen-garden and food-forest designs. Harvest windows are for northeastern Oklahoma (USDA zone 7a).

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In a kitchen garden or food-forest guild, thornless blackberry pairs well with: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Comfrey (Symphytum officinale), Garlic (Allium sativum).

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