Organic Blackberry Dirksen - Rubus fruticosus

The Organic Dirksen Blackberry is a thornless variety of blackberry that produces large, shiny black fruits without the risk of getting pricked. It is a vigorous selection, with fast growth, and one of the most productive varieties. Its blackberries are slightly less fragrant than those of the wild blackberry, but have a sweeter and more tart flavour that can be enjoyed straight from the plant or in fruit salads, jams, and jellies. The flowering occurs regularly and the harvest takes place once the fruits are ripe, from late July to early August and until the end of summer. The Dirksen Blackberry is a naturally disease-resistant and cold-hardy variety that can be easily grown in ordinary garden soil, as long as it is not too dry in summer, in sunny or partially shaded areas.

The Blackberry belongs to the genus Rubus, which is native to the mountains of the Caucasus in Asia Minor. The genus has diversified over time and has given rise to several subgenera, including the raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and the common blackberry (Rubus fruticosus). This latter genus includes numerous subspecies that differ in the size, colour and acidity level of the fruit. In Europe and America, this berry has been consumed for about 2000 years. The Dirksen Blackberry, of horticultural origin, belongs to the subgenus Rubus fruticosus and is part of cultivated blackberries.

Organic Dirksen Blackberry is hardy and easy to grow. It thrives in ordinary soil, with a preference for fertile, well-drained, and moist soil. It will thrive against a wall in a sunny or partially shaded location and will show the attractive bare wood of its flexible branches in winter. Garden blackberries are hybrids derived from the thornless Common Blackberry, Rubus var. inermis, itself obtained by crossing the blackberry and the raspberry. Extensive work on improvement and selection has resulted in numerous thornless varieties, most of which are of American origin.
The Dirksen Blackberry is a climbing perennial plant with a semi-shrubby and bushy habit. The branches can reach 2 to 3 metres (7 to 10 feet) long and the crown can occupy 0.5 metre (2 feet) of the ground. These branches will need to be trained on a fence, wire mesh, trellis, pergola, arches... there are many solutions available.
The foliage is deciduous, falling in autumn. It is bright green and consists of compound, toothed leaves with visible veins, very similar to raspberry leaves. The stems are thornless. They only live til fruiting (2 years) and are gradually replaced by new shoots emerging from the crown.
The abundant and honey-scented, small white-pink flowers, 1.5 to 2 cm (1in) in diameter are grouped in clusters from May to June, starting from the second year of planting.

The fruits that form are composed of aggregated drupes attached to the receptacle. They are large, much larger than those of wild blackberries, turning from red to black and shiny when ripe. They should be picked when fully black, as they are then sweet, tart, juicy, and delicious. The fruits can be consumed fresh, in jellies, jams, pies, or even in sorbets, syrups, and juices. They can be perfectly preserved in the freezer.