Blackberry

Do you want to plant a Blackberry? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Blackberry, and on pruning and caring for your Blackberry.
Back to overview

General characteristics of a Blackberry

The blackberry is a plant from the Ribes family. Blackcurrants also grow wild on wet, nutrient-rich soil in deciduous forests, especially in swamp forests. Blackberries bloom early, from April to May. Blackberries are self-pollinating, but cross-pollination produces more fruit.

Characteristics


How to plant a Blackberry

Plant the roots at least 10 cm into the ground.

How to harvest a Blackberry

Can be easily propagated by taking cuttings. Cuttings can also be taken. Cut diagonally just below a bud and allow the cutting to root in potting soil.

Caring for and pruning your Blackberry

Pruning is important to improve air circulation and stimulate fruit production. The best time to prune is in spring or after the harvest in autumn. It is also useful to mulch the plant (e.g. with a layer of leaves) to retain moisture and suppress weed growth.

Where does a Blackberry grow

Grows well in moist forests, along hedgerows and water edges.


General

Origin
Native
Cultivar
Tree Type Shrub

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 1 Up to 2 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years 2 Up to 3 year
Maximum Age 10 Up to 20 year
Required Space 1 Up to 2m2
Growth Rate trees.medium

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating Yes
Reproduction Method
Makes layers
Makes root suckers
To cut (cutting is between 5 and 50 cm)
Makes seedlings
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen Yes
Summer March tot April
Winter September tot October
Leaf Shapes Hand-shaped
Easy to prune Yes

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Lenticels Yes
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Varied
Bud Shape
Pointed
Oval

Other

Root
Broad root system
Bloom
Has flowers
Has fruits
Wind sensitivity Moderately sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases
Mildew
Greenfly

Harvest/recognition in winter

Sometimes there are berries on the bush in winter. Small, yellow glands on the buds.

Light requirement of the Blackberry

The Blackberry thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade

    • Suitable soil types for the Blackberry

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Blackberry to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Blackberry

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Blackberry in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Blackberry

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Blackberry like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant? 8
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant? 7
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer April Up to April

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Horse
    Human
    Goat
    Herbivorous rodents
    Dog
    Chicken
    Cow
    Sheep
    Pig
    Badgers
    Beavers
    Squirrel
    Ferret
    Deer
    Roe deer
    Cat
    Mouse
    Wild boar
    Foxes

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Blackberry looks like

    Blackberry - leaf and fruit

    This is what the fruits of a Blackberry look like

    Blackberry mature shrub with fruit and leaf
    Blackberry - fruit