Blackberry · Bare Root

Caddo Blackberry

Name: Caddo Blackberry
Brand: FruitBushes
SKU: BLK-CADDO-3BA
Price: 14.49 USD
Availability: InStock

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3 plants $4.83 $14.49 5 plants $4.69 $23.49 2% off 10 plantsBEST VALUE $4.29 $42.99 11% off 25 plants $4.27 $106.99 11% off 100 plants $4.25 $425.00 12% off

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Caddo is a thornless blackberry from the University of Arkansas breeding program, announced in 2019. It ripens early. In Arkansas trials it started a couple of days ahead of Osage, and its berries ran larger than both Osage and Ouachita, sweet, and still good-looking well after picking. No thorns on the upright canes, so picking and pruning are easy on your hands.

Caddo fruits on second-year canes. In summer, tip the new canes at about 4 feet so they branch out, and once harvest is over cut out the canes that fruited and tie up the new ones. A simple T-trellis keeps loaded canes off the ground, but you don't need one. Self-fertile, and it needs only about 300 chill hours.

Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. Hardy in zones 5 to 9. Caddo is a patented variety, and propagation is prohibited.

How Caddo compares

Caddo is part of the University of Arkansas Sweet-Ark line, bred for flavor, and its winter hardiness is about the same as Ouachita. Space plants 3 to 4 feet apart in rows 10 to 12 feet apart. If you plant Caddo with Osage and Ouachita, you'll get thornless berries from early June well into July.

Plant Details

Quick Facts

Botanical: Rubus 'Caddo' (Sweet-Ark Caddo)
Type: Floricane thornless blackberry
Fruit Color: Black
Fruit Taste: Very sweet, low acid, large berries
Thorns: No (thornless)

Growing Conditions

USDA Zones: 5-9
Chill Hours: 300-400 hours
Sun Needs: Full sun
Soil pH: 5.5-6.5
Spacing: 3-4 ft in rows, rows 10-12 ft apart
Mature Height: 4-6 ft

Pollination & Care

Self-Fertile: Yes
Pollination: Self-fertile like other erect blackberries, so a single variety sets a full crop.
Difficulty: Easy
Data Confidence: High

Harvest

Season: Early to late June

Notes & Caveats: University of Arkansas release (Sweet-Ark series, US PP33,115) with thornless erect canes, ripening about two days before Osage and with winter hardiness similar to Ouachita.

Sources:Univ. of Arkansas·NC State Extension·Wellspring Gardens

Growing Zones: 5–9

Hardy down to zone 5 (-20 to -10°F)

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map of the United States

Match the shaded zones above to find your growing region. Source: USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Find your zone by ZIP code →

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How we ship

Most orders go out via UPS with a 2-3 day transit time to most of the continental U.S. Plants are shipped dormant in late winter / early spring, packed wet to protect the root systems, and bundled by variety so they're ready to plant on arrival.

Hawaii & Alaska orders

For HI and AK addresses we ship via USPS. The other major carriers either don't service these areas for live plants or charge prohibitive rates that would more than double the cost of your order. USPS gives us a reliable, affordable path to get plants to you in good condition.

Want UPS or FedEx anyway?

If you're in HI or AK and want to use UPS or FedEx and cover the upgraded shipping cost, reach out to us immediately after placing your order with your order number. We'll send you the available options and a quote, and you can pick what works for you.

Wholesale orders (100+ plants): We only ship wholesale orders on Mondays and Tuesdays. Larger orders sitting in a hot delivery truck over a weekend can damage or even kill the plants, especially for customers in the southern half of the U.S. Shipping early in the week ensures your plants reach you before any weekend transit delays.

Region overview

Continental U.S.

UPS 2-day or 3-day. Free shipping on orders $100+.

Hawaii & Alaska

USPS Priority Mail. Reach out post-order if you want a UPS/FedEx upgrade quote.

Arrive-alive guarantee

Every order is backed by our 30-day arrive-alive guarantee. If a plant doesn't make it through transit, we'll replace it. Just send us a photo within 30 days of delivery.

Questions?

Call or text us at (720) 630-3715, or email support@fruitbushes.com. We answer within one business day.