Overview

Introduce a delightful and productive addition to your garden with the Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant. This robust and highly sought-after variety of blackberry, scientifically known as Rubus ‘Triple Crown’, is celebrated for its exceptional flavor, large fruit size, and most notably, its thornless canes. As a fruiting shrub, it belongs to the genus Rubus within the rose family Rosaceae, offering both ornamental appeal and a bountiful harvest. Unlike many blackberry varieties, the thornless nature of ‘Triple Crown’ makes harvesting a pleasure, free from scratches and pricks. This plant is a fantastic choice for both novice and experienced gardeners looking to grow their own delicious, antioxidant-rich berries at home.

The ‘Triple Crown’ cultivar is named for its three outstanding qualities: flavor, yield, and vigor. Originating from a breeding program in Maryland, it has quickly become a favorite due to its adaptability and prolific production. When established, these plants can provide years of delicious fruit, transforming your garden into a source of fresh, healthy produce. Plant this fruit bush for garden spaces and enjoy the convenience of homegrown berries.

Key Benefits

The Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant offers a multitude of benefits for the home gardener, making it a truly valuable investment. From its ease of care to its nutritional output, this plant delivers on many fronts:

• Abundant & Delicious Fruit: Enjoy a prolific harvest of large, glossy black berries that are exceptionally sweet and juicy with a complex flavor profile. Perfect for fresh eating, baking, preserves, and freezing.
• Thornless Canes: The most significant advantage of this variety is its lack of thorns, making harvesting incredibly easy and enjoyable for all ages without the worry of painful pricks. This also simplifies pruning and maintenance.
• High Nutritional Value: Blackberries are packed with antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and dietary fiber. They are a healthy addition to any diet, supporting overall wellness.
• Vigorous Growth & Adaptability: This thornless blackberry plant is known for its strong, upright growth habit and adaptability to various soil types and growing conditions, making it a reliable performer in many regions.
• Long Production Season: ‘Triple Crown’ typically bears fruit mid-summer through early autumn, providing a continuous supply of fresh berries over an extended period.
• Disease Resistance: It exhibits good resistance to common blackberry diseases, contributing to its ease of care and consistent yields.
• Versatile Culinary Use: Beyond fresh eating, these berries are excellent for pies, crumbles, jams, jellies, smoothies, and sauces, adding a gourmet touch to homemade dishes.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant is relatively straightforward, resembling the cultivation of wild roses due to its robust nature. To ensure a long and productive life, careful attention to its specific needs will yield the best results. These plants thrive in full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily, which is crucial for maximizing fruit production and flavor. While they can tolerate some afternoon shade, especially in hotter climates, a sunny location is always preferred for this Rubus Triple Crown variety. Proper site selection will ensure your blackberries typically live for about a decade with good care.

The ideal soil for a Triple Crown Blackberry bare root is slightly acidic (pH 6.0-6.5) and, most importantly, well-draining. These plants do not fare well in heavy clay soils that retain too much moisture. Amending your soil with organic matter like compost can significantly improve drainage and fertility. If your soil is particularly heavy, consider planting in raised beds, which not only enhance drainage but also help prevent late spring frosts from damaging delicate flower buds. Blackberries require moderate amounts of water, approximately 1 inch per week, either from rainfall or ground-level irrigation. Avoid overhead watering to reduce disease risk. Ensure the soil remains consistently moist but never waterlogged.

For fertilization, a balanced slow-release fertilizer can be applied in early spring as new growth emerges. Pruning is essential for maintaining plant health and productivity. After the first year, remove all dead or damaged canes. In subsequent years, prune out canes that have already fruited (floricanes) at ground level after the harvest, as blackberries produce fruit on second-year canes. Thin out weaker new canes (primocanes) to promote stronger growth on the remaining ones. This care routine helps in growing blackberries successfully.

Size & Details

This offering includes a Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant, which is a dormant plant without soil, shipped ready for planting. Bare root plants typically establish quickly once planted in appropriate conditions. When mature, the ‘Triple Crown’ blackberry bush can reach heights of 5-8 feet and spread 4-6 feet wide, often requiring a trellis or support system to manage its vigorous growth and heavy fruit loads. It is a semi-erect variety, meaning its canes initially grow upright but then arch over, which is why support is beneficial.

You can expect your Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant to begin producing fruit in its second year after planting, with full production typically achieved by the third year. The fruit ripens from mid-July through August in most regions, providing a generous harvest window. This plant is well-suited for USDA hardiness zones 5-9, tolerating a range of temperatures. Planting in early spring after the last frost is recommended for best establishment and growth. The plant will arrive dormant, which is normal and healthy for bare root stock, ready to burst into growth once planted.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant get? A: A mature Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant can grow 5-8 feet tall and spread 4-6 feet wide. Its canes are semi-erect and benefit from trellising for support, especially when laden with fruit.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This is an outdoor fruiting shrub, best suited for garden beds or large containers where it can receive ample sunlight and space to grow. It is not designed to be an indoor houseplant.
• Q: How much sunlight does the Triple Crown Blackberry plant need? A: For optimal fruit production and plant health, the Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant requires full sun, which means at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Some afternoon shade is tolerated in very hot climates.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? Is it good for beginners? A: Yes, the thornless blackberry plant ‘Triple Crown’ is considered relatively easy to care for, especially due to its thornless nature and vigor. It’s a good choice for beginners interested in growing blackberries.
• Q: What condition will the bare root plant arrive in? A: Your Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant will arrive dormant, typically with no leaves or soil, wrapped to protect its roots. This is a normal and healthy state for bare root plants, ready for immediate planting.
• Q: How long until it produces fruit? A: The Triple Crown Blackberry bare root plant typically starts producing fruit in its second year after planting, with a more substantial harvest in the third year and beyond.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The ‘Triple Crown’ blackberry is hardy in USDA zones 5-9. If you are in these zones, it should survive winter and return reliably each year. In colder parts of zone 5, some winter protection might be beneficial.
• Q: What’s the best soil for growing blackberries? A: Blackberries prefer well-draining, slightly acidic soil (pH 6.0-6.5). Avoid heavy clay soils; amend with organic matter if necessary, or consider planting in raised beds to ensure good drainage.
• Q: Why is it called “Triple Crown”? A: It’s named for its three outstanding qualities: excellent flavor, high yields, and vigorous growth. This makes it a top choice for a fruit bush for garden enthusiasts.
• Q: Can I grow this Rubus Triple Crown in a container? A: While possible, due to its vigorous growth and mature size, a very large container (at least 20-25 gallons) would be required. It will also need consistent watering and feeding in a container.