VANDERMEER

PLANT LIBRARY

Find the perfect plant for your space by browsing through this extensive selection that we typically carry every year.

This library is for information purposes only.

 
shrub

Chester Thornless Blackberry

Rubus 'Chester'

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Chester Thornless Blackberry (Rubus 'Chester') at Vandermeer Nursery

Chester Thornless Blackberry fruit

Chester Thornless Blackberry fruit

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Chester Thornless Blackberry (Rubus 'Chester') at Vandermeer Nursery

Chester Thornless Blackberry flowers

Chester Thornless Blackberry flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Chester Thornless Blackberry (Rubus 'Chester') at Vandermeer Nursery

Chester Thornless Blackberry fruit

Chester Thornless Blackberry fruit

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  3 feet

Spread:  10 feet

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  3b

Other Names:  Thornless Blackberry

Group/Class:  Floricane - Summer Bearing

Description:

The most winter hardy of the thornless varieties with large, sweet, high quality berries with good flavor; blackberries are quite shrubby looking and require careful placement in the landscape, a specific pruning regimen and protection from birds

Edible Qualities

Chester Thornless Blackberry is a small shrub that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces clusters of black heart-shaped berries which are usually ready for picking in mid summer. The berries have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

The berries are most often used in the following ways:

  • Fresh Eating
  • Cooking
  • Baking
  • Preserves
  • Canning
  • Freezing

Features & Attributes

Chester Thornless Blackberry has rich green deciduous foliage on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. The fuzzy oval compound leaves do not develop any appreciable fall colour. It features an abundance of magnificent black berries in mid summer.

This is an open multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a spreading, ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage. This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep. Each spring, cut back all dead and two-year old canes to the ground, leaving only last year's growth standing. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Suckering
  • Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Chester Thornless Blackberry is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
  • Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Chester Thornless Blackberry will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

This shrub may not always play well with others; as such, it is best grown in its own designated garden space or isolated area of an edibles garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Naturalizing  Orchard 
Applications
Fruit  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features

** Plants listed may not be in stock at all times. **

Please contact us directly for current stock availability.
 
Our inventory varies seasonally and we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times. To confirm if we have the plant that you're looking for, please call (905) 427-2525 or e-mail  us at info@vandermeernursery.com.
 
Remember, this library does not include our entire selection. Visit us year-round to check out varieties that may not be listed here!