Columbia Sunrise Thornless Blackberry is an early-ripening blackberry bred for cool maritime climates and gardeners tired of thorny canes. Growing 6 feet tall in hardiness zones 7 through 9, this thornless cultivar produces flavorful fruit that ripens so early it largely avoids the spotted wing drosophila, a pest that plagues later-season blackberries. Its trailing canes respond beautifully to trellising, making it both practical and elegant in the garden.
Full Sun
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7-9
72in H x ?in W
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High
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Early ripening means your harvest arrives before most blackberry pests strike, giving you clean, healthy fruit without the chemical interventions other varieties demand. The thornless canes are a genuine relief when picking and pruning, and the trailing growth habit transforms into something almost graceful when trained up a trellis. For gardeners in cooler regions or near the coast, this variety thrives where other blackberries struggle.
These berries are eaten fresh off the cane, their early ripening making them a first taste of summer fruit. They preserve well for jam and freezing, and their clean pest-free status means they're suitable for any culinary application where appearance and flavor matter.
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Plant rooted canes or bare-root plants in early spring or fall, when the plant is dormant. Space plants 4 to 6 feet apart in well-draining soil with a pH between 6 and 7. Harden off any container-grown plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting.
Pick berries when they turn deep black and feel slightly soft to gentle pressure, typically in early summer given this variety's early ripening. The thornless canes make harvesting far more pleasant than traditional blackberries. Harvest every two to three days at peak ripeness, as berries do not continue to ripen after picking. A ripe berry should release easily from the plant with a gentle tug.
The trailing growth habit requires deliberate trellising and training to keep canes orderly and productive. Remove any dead or diseased canes at ground level in late winter, before new growth emerges. After fruiting, selectively prune older floricanes (canes that bore fruit that year) to encourage vigorous new primocane growth, which will produce next season's harvest. Train new canes onto your trellis as they emerge, securing them horizontally or at angles to maximize light exposure and fruit production.
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