Blackberry
Rubus occidentalis · Rosaceae
| Type | vine (shrub layer) |
|---|---|
| Mature size | 6 ft tall × 4 ft wide |
| Sun | FS (full sun) |
| Water | M (moderate) |
| Deer resistance | low |
| Drought tolerance | medium |
| Hardiness | 4-9 |
| Maintenance | medium |
| Edible | yes |
| Nitrogen fixing | no |
| Bloom | May, Jun |
| Harvest | Jul, Aug |
| Expected yield | 8 lb/yr |
| Source | TreeYo ($19) |
Planning price
$19.00 per plant listed
treeyo · Blackberry (thornless)
CPI 2026 list has Apache, Arapaho, Caddo and Chester.
Design notes
Needs a trellis; productive for years with annual pruning. Deer browse the canes, so fence while they establish.
Historic uses
Blackberry leaf tea used as a diuretic and to soothe sore throats in Appalachian folk practice.
Scoring
| Ornamental | 5/10 |
|---|---|
| Disease resistance | 7/10 |
| Sweetness of harvest | 8/10 |
| Complexity of care | 7/10 |
| Medicinal value | 5/10 |
Shared plant library
These records are stored once at /home/chris/.gardenway/plant-library.json and
reused by every design and project on this machine, so the same species does not have
to be researched again.
Where this is used
| Draft | Zone | Qty | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest | F | 2 | Thornless blackberry along the boundary. |
| Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs | F | 3 | Thornless blackberry on the boundary. |