Osage Thornless Blackberry

The Osage Thornless Blackberry is a new variety of blackberries added to the DownHome Harvest Edibles Collection! This blackberry is self-fertile and produces round and firm, medium-sized berries. This fruit traditionally begins to ripen in late spring or early summer. In addition, the Osage’s berries are outstandingly flavorful. They’re the most intensely flavored of the three blackberries in this collection, which also features the Prime-Ark Freedom Thornless Blackberry and Navaho Thornless Blackberry.

The leaves are spear-shaped and grow in groups of three, with deeply serrated edges. This foliage grows relatively quickly and is an attractive addition to the landscape in its own right.

The Osage Thornless Blackberry features an upright growth habit that matures to 4-5’ H x 3-4’ W. Therefore, a full-grown specimen produces quite a bounty of berries.

This is a Floricane variety, which fruits on the second year’s growth. For this reason, it’s important not to trim this shrub in early spring. Instead, wait until right after you harvest your berries to prune them.

The Osage Thornless Blackberry tolerates heat and humidity, so it’s ideal for Southern landscapes.

*The Osage Thornless Blackberry is a deciduous/semi-evergreen plant that will go dormant during winter. When this plant is ordered during the Fall/Winter expect seasonal foliage decline(discoloration, spots, leaf drop) or the plant to arrive completely dormant.*

Osage Thornless Blackberry Care

Hardy in USDA Zones 6-10, down to -10°F once established. Furthermore, this is a deciduous plant that goes dormant every winter.

Blackberries need plenty of sunlight to produce fruit, so plant them in Full Sun.

Water 2-3 times per week during the first growing season. During the second growing season, water 1-2 times per week during average weather conditions.

The Osage Thornless Blackberry tolerates most soil types and qualities. It even tolerates clay soil!

Fertilize a couple of times a year, starting in early spring with a balanced organic fertilizer.

Spacing Your Osage Thornless Blackberry

Plant Osage Thornless Blackberries 1.5-2 feet apart to create a seamless hedge. However, we recommend spacing them over 3 feet apart to promote ease of access when picking berries.