Blackberry variety Chester Thornless reviews, description and images

Date: 2021-02-24, updated: 2022-03-29

Very vigorous, thornless, large fruited, late ripening blackberry variety with long harvest season

Rubus subgenus Rubus 'Chester Thornless'

Originated from a cross of Thornfree x SIUS 47

Variety denomination 'Chester Thornless', tested as SIUS 68-6-17

Plants are thornless

Bushes have semi-erect canes

Fruit weight is 5 g

Berries have a rounded shape

Soluble solids - 9.6%

Fruiting habit floricane fruiting (summer-bearing)

Flowering on floricanes starts in the second week of June

Ripening date (regular) - fourth week of July

Productivity is 14 kg per plant

Cold hardiness is good

Country of origin United States

Current status - modern or widely used

Chester Thornless is a very vigorous, thornless, large fruited, late ripening blackberry variety from United States. Cross was made in 1968. This is one of the most popular blackberry variety in the world. It was recommended as a replacement for Thornfree cultivar.
Canes are semi-erect after the first year recumbent growth. Canes length typically achieves 3-4 m and needs trellis support. Harvest period continues from the end of July to the end of September. Yields of Chester Thornless vary with production area, up to 31 kg/plant from healthy plant. Taste and flavor are depend on local growing conditions and weather. In different regions with similar cultivation methods taste and flavor vary sufficiently. Mean mass of berry averages 5 g, seeds are relatively small. Berries have very intense black color and are firm. Winter hardiness is up to minus 18.

Table 1. Comparison table of yield and average berry weight of Chester Thornless blackberry
Cultivar	Yield, kg/plant		Harvest date		Berry weight, g
Cultivar	1975	1976	First	Last	Berry weight, g
Chester Thornless	27.0	31.1	28/7	23/9	6.7
Dirksen Thornless	4.3	9.9	18/7	15/8	6.0
Thornfree	9.2	18	18/7	26/8	5.0
Black Satin	17.6	6.5	21/7	08/9	6.6
Smoothstem	8.9	11.5	06/8	09/9	5.0

Useful Growing Guides:

Berry Soil and Nutrient Management – A Guide for Educators and Growers. M. Pritts, C. Heidenreich, L. McDermott, and J. Miller; Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Caneberries Nutrient Management Guide. J. Hart, B. Strik, and H. Rempel; Oregon State University

Blackberry cultivars comparison table (2021). Compiled by myblackberryplants.com

High Tunnel Raspberries and Blackberries. AJ Both, Kathy Demchak, Eric Hanson, Cathy Heidenreich, Greg Loeb, Laura McDermott, Marvin Pritts, and Courtney Weber; Cornell Cooperative Extension

Raspberry and Blackberry Production Guide. L. Bushway, M. Pritts, D. Handley; Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service Cooperative Extension, Ithaca

Growing blackberries in your home garden. B. Strik, E. Dixon, A.J. Detweiler and N. Sanchez; Oregon State University Extension Service

Reviews of the variety Chester Thornless

Review from [EXYU TRAVEL & NATURE]

Kupina sorta Chester blackberry. Saveti za uzgoj kupine.

Review from [FRED]

I might try another blackberry one day, but for me blackberry Chester is the best - none matches it for production or disease resistance. Find the space for it you won't be disappointed. The fruit taste is deliciously sweet when ripe and the blackberries very large. You will be picking them virtually every day from Aug until end of Oct. Incredible plant and its flowers are a pretty pink which the bees adore.

Review from [ERIC]

This site certainly knows its blackberries. The daddy of them all must be Chester Thornless. Wonderful tasting fruit, lovely pink flowers. This plant certainly lives up to its hype.

A big plant with vigor that never ceases even in old plantings and potentially it can give crops of over 20kg, if you let it grow to its full potential.

Crops late July until early frosts under an open car port frame. Unmatched and probably still the no1 commercial plant in the world due to its hardiness and disease resistance!