Apache
Date: 2021-02-04, updated: 2023-05-29
Very vigorous erect-growing thornless cultivar with high winter hardiness
Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson 'Apache'
Originated from a cross of A-1007 x Navaho
Variety denomination 'Apache', tested as A-1798
Plants are thornless
Bushes have erect canes
Fruit weight is 10 g
Berries have a conical shape
Soluble solids - 10.7%
Fruiting habit floricane fruiting (summer-bearing)
Flowering on floricanes starts in the second week of May
Ripening date (regular) - fourth week of June
Productivity is 2.7 kg per plant
Cold hardiness is excellent
Country of origin United States
Patent US PP11,865 P2 dated May 06, 2001
Current status - obsolete or rarely used
Recommended replacement - Osage
Apache is the ninth release in a series of erect-growing, high-quality, productive blackberry cultivars, developed by the University of Arkansas. It is the third thornless, erect cultivar released. Apache has a Navaho as one of the parents. Apache produces larger fruit and higher yields than the previously released Arkansas thornless, erect cultivars Navaho and Arapaho.
Canes of Apache are thornless, and are more erect than those of Arapaho and Navaho. If primocanes are tipped at 1,1 m to control primocane length and encourage lateral branching, Apache can be grown in a hedgerow without trellis support. Vigor and health ratings for Apache are higher than those for either Arapaho or Navaho, and winter injury ratings are comparable to those of Arapaho or Navaho. Outstanding characteristics of Apache include large fruit, high yields, good fruit quality.
Average berry weight is about 10 g, this is roughly twice more than Navaho. Seeds are significantly heavier than those of either Arapaho or Navaho. Apache bloomed 2 to 3 days later than Arapaho and 2 to 3 days before Navaho at the beginning of May. First harvest date for Apache averaged 15 days later than Arapaho and 5 d later than Navaho at the end of June. Harvest season period is about 35-40 days. Yield is much more than Arapaho, but lower, than Navaho. The fruiting period is two weeks shorter in Apache than in Navaho. Fruit of Apache are blocky and conical and very attractive with a glossy, black finish. Fruit firmness of Apache is less than that of Navaho but comparable to that of Arapaho.
Apache is moderately resistant to anthracnose and no disease problems have been experienced in evaluations where a single spray of lime sulfur was applied. No orange rust (Gymnoconia nitens) has been observed on Apache.
This cultivar also has two significant drawbacks - canes are very brittle, and white drupelets on ripen berries, even if the weather and soil conditions are enought for other blackberries.
Canes of Apache are thornless, and are more erect than those of Arapaho and Navaho. If primocanes are tipped at 1,1 m to control primocane length and encourage lateral branching, Apache can be grown in a hedgerow without trellis support. Vigor and health ratings for Apache are higher than those for either Arapaho or Navaho, and winter injury ratings are comparable to those of Arapaho or Navaho. Outstanding characteristics of Apache include large fruit, high yields, good fruit quality.
Average berry weight is about 10 g, this is roughly twice more than Navaho. Seeds are significantly heavier than those of either Arapaho or Navaho. Apache bloomed 2 to 3 days later than Arapaho and 2 to 3 days before Navaho at the beginning of May. First harvest date for Apache averaged 15 days later than Arapaho and 5 d later than Navaho at the end of June. Harvest season period is about 35-40 days. Yield is much more than Arapaho, but lower, than Navaho. The fruiting period is two weeks shorter in Apache than in Navaho. Fruit of Apache are blocky and conical and very attractive with a glossy, black finish. Fruit firmness of Apache is less than that of Navaho but comparable to that of Arapaho.
Apache is moderately resistant to anthracnose and no disease problems have been experienced in evaluations where a single spray of lime sulfur was applied. No orange rust (Gymnoconia nitens) has been observed on Apache.
This cultivar also has two significant drawbacks - canes are very brittle, and white drupelets on ripen berries, even if the weather and soil conditions are enought for other blackberries.
Cultivar | Yield, kg/ha | Berry weight, g | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | 1998 | 1997 | 1998 | |
Clarksville | ||||
Apache | 10100 | 7683 | 10.0 | 9.5 |
Arapaho | 4940 | 4974 | 5.4 | 5.2 |
Navaho | 15066 | 4764 | 5.1 | 4.6 |
Hope | ||||
Apache | 4512 | 14533 | 6.6 | 8.4 |
Arapaho | 3635 | 9703 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
Navaho | 3024 | 11115 | 3.9 | 4.9 |
Fayetteville | ||||
Apache | 7481 | 8349 | 8.9 | 7.4 |
Arapaho | 2047 | 4996 | 4.7 | 3.5 |
Navaho | 2711 | 4785 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
Main features | Variety | ||
---|---|---|---|
Apache | Arapaho | Navaho | |
Flowering date | |||
10% bloom | April 30 | April 27 | May 2 |
50% bloom | May 6 | May 4 | May 8 |
Harvest date | |||
First | June 20 | June 5 | June 15 |
Peak | June 30 | June 12 | July 7 |
Last | July 27 | July 24 | August 2 |
Fruit (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best) | |||
Firmness | 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.7 |
Flavor | 8.8 | 8.3 | 9.2 |
Soluble solids, % | 10.7 | 9.6 | 11.4 |
Plant (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best) | |||
Vigor | 9.5 | 7.2 | 7.3 |
Health | 9.7 | 8.3 | 8.8 |
Erectness | 9.0 | 8.5 | 8.0 |
Winter injury | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.5 |
How to cultivate blackberry Apache?
1. Include annual preemergence and postemergence herbicide applications;
2. Include annual spring nitrogen (N) fertilization (about 56 kg/ha) using ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3);
3. Summer tipping of primocanes at 42 inch;
4. Sprinkler irrigation apply weekly during the harvest season;
5. Use dormant pruning;
6. A single application of liquid lime sulfur (94 L/ha) each spring at budbreak for control of anthracnose;
7. Plant spacing at least 0.6 m;
8. Do not plant in heavy soil.
2. Include annual spring nitrogen (N) fertilization (about 56 kg/ha) using ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3);
3. Summer tipping of primocanes at 42 inch;
4. Sprinkler irrigation apply weekly during the harvest season;
5. Use dormant pruning;
6. A single application of liquid lime sulfur (94 L/ha) each spring at budbreak for control of anthracnose;
7. Plant spacing at least 0.6 m;
8. Do not plant in heavy soil.
Useful Growing Guides:
Reviews of the variety Apache
Review from [OUTSIDE WITH JEFF]
Apache Blackberry Ripening
Review from [NOT A HOBBY HOMESTEAD]
I have previously experienced poor results when attempting to propagate thornless blackberries of another variety (Prime Ark Freedom) in another State, so this is my first attempt trying it here in Missouri, with new variety of thornless blackberry (Apache).
Review from [DANI]
I absolutely love this bush! I planted it in spring 2019 looking like a stick and summer of 2020 i have gotten around a gallon of huge sweet berries! It is sending up shoots that have allowed me to have more bushes and the taste of these berries is unbeatable.
Review from [BIGBEN]
Bigger harvest every year. Learn the cycle of Blackberries and you will harvest every year.
Review from [STEWART WAINE]
Rubus Apache , these have been outstanding this year , been a fantastic year for blackberry all round
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Review from [THORNLESS BLACKBERRIES]
Here are a few of my thornless Apache blackberries that were planted in late March of 2020. They were planted from little plant cups from a nursery and could use more sunshine.
Review from [HANDS IN THE DIRT]
I want to share with you how I plant my blackberry bush. I also want to share the soils and type of pot I used. The Apache blackberry plant produces some of the highest yields and largest fruit of all the thornless blackberry cultivars. It is the largest thornless, upright berry available. Sweet, cone shaped berry. Ripens late season. Excellent quality. Cold hardy and high yielding.
Review from [GRIFFUNGIN]
Apache Thornless BlackBerry Bushes 1 year update. Check out my other video from when they were first planted. Watch the video to see their progress...
Review from [MYGREENLAWN]
How to grow the thornless blackberry cultivar 'Apache' in the garden. Includes spacing, soil, sun and fertilizer requirements.
Table of contents How to Grow Apache blackberries: Sun, Spacing and Soil Requirements 00:39 Watering Schedule 01:26 Fertilizing Blackberries 02:42 Harvest Season 03:25
Table of contents How to Grow Apache blackberries: Sun, Spacing and Soil Requirements 00:39 Watering Schedule 01:26 Fertilizing Blackberries 02:42 Harvest Season 03:25