Thornfree

Old American variety of thornless floricane-fruiting blackberry (selected in 1966 in USA). Plants are very trailing and vigorous, stems can achieve up to 5 m in length and up to 2 m in height. Large white (with low pinkish shade) flowers appear in June. Flowers have 5 to 7 petals. Thornfree is late-ripening variety. It has long harvest season - gives mature berries from late July to October. Fruit are big (typically 6-8 g, and up to 14 g), oblong in shape, have black color and glossy. Oftentimes even ripen berries have sour taste. If such berries have been leaved on bushes, after few days with good weather conditions they gain sugar taste, but lose glossiness. Firmness is very low, because Thornfree's berries is great juicy. Such features define the main markets of this cultivar - processing and wine production.
Yield is big, 15-20 kg/plant when using appropriate autumn cropping and fertilizing.
Pests and disease resistance are normal, winter hardiness is good, about minus 20 C. Thornfree's berries are sensitive to high summer temperatures (boiled berries), need to be sheltered from direct sun rays.
In some areas Thornfree is widely used as commercial variety even today.