Karaka Black
Date: 2020-12-09, updated: 2023-05-21
Trailing thorny cultivar with big fruits and long ripening period
Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson 'Karaka Black'
Variety denomination 'Karaka Black'
Plants are thorny
Bushes have trailing canes
Fruit weight is 10 g
Berries have a oblong shape
Fruiting habit floricane fruiting (summer-bearing)
Flowering on floricanes starts in the first week of May
Ripening date (regular) - third week of June
Productivity is 5 kg per plant
Cold hardiness is moderate
Country of origin New Zealand
Current status - modern or widely used
Karaka Black's origin is New Zealand. Harvey Hall was the author of this cultivar.
Karaka Black variety was bred for fresh market, processing and private gardening. Stems of Karaka are trailing and have prickles. Canes are medium vigorous, length is from 3 to 5 m. Moderate plant vigor makes it appropriate to put this cultivar at 1 m spacing to ensure a high yield.
In a cold climate Karaka Black is well suited to tunnel production of fruit for fresh market. This variety has very long fruiting season, produces high quality berries for six to eight weeks. The berries are well displayed and are very easy to pick. The dark black fruit has a long cylindrical-conical shape, is very firm and very shiny. The flavor is likened to a mild blackberry, and may be somewhat acidic when picked slightly under-ripe or grown in a cool climate.
Fruit size is large, with an average weight of 10-11 g. Shelf life of the fruit is outstanding.
Fruit yield of Karaka Black is high, approximately 15 t/ha, compared to the varieties Silvan at 13 t/ha and Waldo at 10 t/ha. In trials in New Zealand, Karaka Black has achieved yields of over 25 t/ha.
Plants of Karaka Black has moderate disease resistance to downy mildew (peronospora sparsa).
Karaka Black variety was bred for fresh market, processing and private gardening. Stems of Karaka are trailing and have prickles. Canes are medium vigorous, length is from 3 to 5 m. Moderate plant vigor makes it appropriate to put this cultivar at 1 m spacing to ensure a high yield.
In a cold climate Karaka Black is well suited to tunnel production of fruit for fresh market. This variety has very long fruiting season, produces high quality berries for six to eight weeks. The berries are well displayed and are very easy to pick. The dark black fruit has a long cylindrical-conical shape, is very firm and very shiny. The flavor is likened to a mild blackberry, and may be somewhat acidic when picked slightly under-ripe or grown in a cool climate.
Fruit size is large, with an average weight of 10-11 g. Shelf life of the fruit is outstanding.
Fruit yield of Karaka Black is high, approximately 15 t/ha, compared to the varieties Silvan at 13 t/ha and Waldo at 10 t/ha. In trials in New Zealand, Karaka Black has achieved yields of over 25 t/ha.
Plants of Karaka Black has moderate disease resistance to downy mildew (peronospora sparsa).
Useful Growing Guides:
Reviews of the variety Karaka Black
Review from [DOĞA VE DOĞA]
KARAKA BLACK BÖĞÜRTLEN. 09.06.2022
Review from [VADIM SKORPION]
Blackberry Karaka Black-An early variety with an elongated berry like a mulberry with a length of 3.5 to 5 cm. Does not like direct sunlight. It is studded with small spines. Lashes up to 5 meters. Yield 5-8 kg.
Review from [GUEST]
The flavour of the thornless cultivars will always disappoint those who went 'brambling' as kids, myself included. The fun of finding an old branch to pin back the thorns and get that elusive big berry at the top was second to none.
I now grow Karaka black, a very hardy and disease resistant plant. The flavour is exceptional when ripe and far exceeds the thornless acidic taste. Thorny, but easy to pick from and its flowers are a pretty white. However despite its manageability it suckers underground especially in good soil, but more free plants!
I now grow Karaka black, a very hardy and disease resistant plant. The flavour is exceptional when ripe and far exceeds the thornless acidic taste. Thorny, but easy to pick from and its flowers are a pretty white. However despite its manageability it suckers underground especially in good soil, but more free plants!