Ouachita Thornless Blackberry

Name: Ouachita Thornless Blackberry
SKU: 7929
Availability: InStock

Bare Root

$5.00

Categories: Blackberry Plants for Sale, Fruit Bushes for USDA Zone 5, Fruit Bushes for USDA Zone 6, Fruit Bushes for USDA Zone 7, Fruit Bushes for USDA Zone 9, Ouachita, Shop for Fruit Bushes by USDA Zone, USDA Zone 8

Planting Instructions

Before planting
- Keep roots cool and moist until planting, but not sitting in standing water.
- Right before planting, soak the bare roots in a bucket of clean water for 30–60 minutes.
Prepare the hole
- Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
- Dig a hole wide enough to spread the roots out naturally (about 12–15 inches wide and 8–10 inches deep).
- Loosen the soil in the bottom and sides of the hole. You can mix in some compost with the backfill soil.
Set the plant depth
- Make a small mound of soil in the center of the hole.
- Spread the roots evenly over the mound so they point outward and slightly downward.
- Position the plant so the crown (where the roots meet the stem) is just at or slightly below the soil surface level.
Backfill and firm
- Backfill the hole with the loosened soil, gently working it in around the roots.
- Lightly firm the soil with your hands as you go to remove air pockets, but do not compact it hard.
Water in
- Water thoroughly right after planting until the soil is evenly moist around the root zone.
- If the soil settles a lot, add a bit more soil to keep the crown at the correct height.
Mulch
- Apply 2–3 inches of mulch (wood chips, pine bark, straw) around the plant in a circle about 18–24 inches wide.
- Keep mulch a couple of inches away from the cane to prevent rot.
First-season care
- Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged while the plant is getting established.
- Keep weeds and grass cleared from around the plant so they do not compete with the new roots.

Description

The Ouachita blackberry is a thornless, erect blackberry variety developed by the University of Arkansas, known for its high yields, disease resistance, and excellent fruit quality. It grows as a compact, upright shrub about 4-6 feet tall and roughly 3-5 feet wide, with sturdy canes that are easy to manage and harvest because they lack thorns. Ouachita performs best in full sun with moist, well-drained soil and typically does well in USDA hardiness zones 5-9. It is a low- to moderate-chill variety, generally needing around 300-500 chill hours.

This variety is self-pollinating, so you only need one plant to get fruit, though multiple plants will increase your total harvest. The berries ripen early to mid-season, often starting in June, and continue for several weeks. The fruit is medium to large, firm, glossy black, and sweet, with very good flavor and storage qualities, making Ouachita a solid choice for fresh eating, jams, freezing, and small-scale market growing. It also shows good resistance to common blackberry diseases like anthracnose and double blossom/rosette, which, combined with its thornless canes and strong yields, makes it an easy, productive option for home gardeners.