Prime-Ark Freedom
Date: 2020-11-21, updated: 2024-02-02
The first commercial thornless primocane-fruiting early-ripening blackberry with large berries and good flavor
Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson 'Prime-Ark Freedom'
Originated from a cross of A-2301T x APF-49T
Variety denomination 'APF-153T'
Plants are thornless
Bushes have erect canes
Fruit weight is 10 g
Berries have a oblong shape
Soluble solids - 10.2%
Acidity - 0.74%
Fruiting habit primocane-fruiting (everbearing)
Flowering on floricanes starts in the fourth week of April
Ripening date (regular) - second week of June
Blooming on primocanes starts in the third week of June
Ripening date (remontant) - first week of August
Productivity is 2 kg per plant
Cold hardiness is good
Country of origin United States
Patent US PP26,990 P3 dated July 30, 2016
Current status - modern or widely used
Prime-Ark Freedom (also known as APF-153T) is the world’s first commercially released thornless primocane-fruiting blackberry. This is the fourth in the University of Arkansas Prime-Ark Brand Primocane Fruiting Blackberry cultivar line following the release of Prime-Jan and Prime-Jim in 2004 and Prime-Ark 45 in 2009. All of the prior-released primocane-fruiting cultivars are thorny.
This type of blackberry fruits on current-season canes (primocanes) and on second-season canes (floricanes), potentially providing for two cropping seasons, both traditional summer fruits in addition to late summer to fall production. In addition to having thornless canes, this variety produces very large berries with good flavor and is very early ripening on floricanes.
Fruit of Prime-Ark Freedom does not exhibit exceptional postharvest storage potential but it is not recommended for the shipping market due the berries have low firmness.
The average primocanes length is about 2-2.5 m. Primocanes are low vigorous, without thorns, very erect. Prime-Ark Freedom berries are large-sized, average weight of berry is about 9-12 g. Color is glossy black.
Each plant produces groups of berries, like bunch of grapes. The first yield starts forming at primocanes in the beginning of June and continues three to four weeks. During this first harvest season, Prime-Ark Freedom intensively produces floricanes, which soon begin to bloom. Floricanes are thornless. This is the second harvest season, which continues up to the middle of October.
After the end of the second harvest season Prime-Ark Freedom requires winter shelter from winter cold wind and other unfavourable conditions, because the declared cold hardiness of this blackberry variety is moderate, about minus 13..17 C, but the many growers note that real hardiness is about minus 18..20 when using covering.
Plants like sun placement, but it is observed that at high air temperature (over 31..33 C) pollination cardinally reduces.
This type of blackberry fruits on current-season canes (primocanes) and on second-season canes (floricanes), potentially providing for two cropping seasons, both traditional summer fruits in addition to late summer to fall production. In addition to having thornless canes, this variety produces very large berries with good flavor and is very early ripening on floricanes.
Fruit of Prime-Ark Freedom does not exhibit exceptional postharvest storage potential but it is not recommended for the shipping market due the berries have low firmness.
The average primocanes length is about 2-2.5 m. Primocanes are low vigorous, without thorns, very erect. Prime-Ark Freedom berries are large-sized, average weight of berry is about 9-12 g. Color is glossy black.
Each plant produces groups of berries, like bunch of grapes. The first yield starts forming at primocanes in the beginning of June and continues three to four weeks. During this first harvest season, Prime-Ark Freedom intensively produces floricanes, which soon begin to bloom. Floricanes are thornless. This is the second harvest season, which continues up to the middle of October.
After the end of the second harvest season Prime-Ark Freedom requires winter shelter from winter cold wind and other unfavourable conditions, because the declared cold hardiness of this blackberry variety is moderate, about minus 13..17 C, but the many growers note that real hardiness is about minus 18..20 when using covering.
Plants like sun placement, but it is observed that at high air temperature (over 31..33 C) pollination cardinally reduces.
| Cultivar | Yield, kg/ha | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
| Floricane harvests | |||
| Prime-Ark Freedom | 6258 | 10740 | 17529 |
| Natchez | 19773 | 19448 | - |
| Osage | 13681 | 14461 | - |
| Ouachita | 12076 | 15716 | - |
| Prime-Ark 45 | 7866 | 13238 | 23501 |
| Primocane harvests | |||
| Prime-Ark Freedom | - | 911 | 2893 |
| Prime-Ark 45 | - | 214 | 3663 |
| Cultivar | Berry weight, g/pcs | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
| Floricane harvests | |||
| Prime-Ark Freedom | 9.2 | 8.7 | 12.6 |
| Natchez | 7.6 | 7.3 | - |
| Osage | 5.0 | 5.1 | - |
| Ouachita | 5.5 | 5.8 | - |
| Prime-Ark 45 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
| Primocane harvests | |||
| Prime-Ark Freedom | - | 7.5 | 8.8 |
| Prime-Ark 45 | - | 4.8 | 5.8 |
| Main features | Cultivar | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APF-153T | Natchez | Osage | Ouachita | APF-45 | |
| 2011 | |||||
| Flowering date on floricane | |||||
| 10% bloom | April 13 | April 2 | April 19 | April 27 | April 20 |
| 50% bloom | April 16 | April 20 | April 25 | May 4 | April 26 |
| Floricane harvest date | |||||
| First | May 28 | June 6 | June 9 | June 13 | June 6 |
| Peak | June 6 | June 13 | June 20 | June 28 | June 18 |
| Last | June 20 | July 7 | July 25 | July 25 | July 18 |
| 2012 | |||||
| Flowering date on floricane | |||||
| 10% bloom | March 26 | April 2 | April 2 | April 5 | March 27 |
| 50% bloom | April 1 | April 4 | April 5 | April 11 | April 2 |
| Floricane harvest date | |||||
| First | May 6 | May 17 | May 21 | May 24 | May 17 |
| Peak | May 21 | May 29 | May 29 | June 5 | May 29 |
| Last | June 8 | June 25 | June 25 | June 28 | June 28 |
| Fruit (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best) | |||||
| Firmness | 7.6 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 8.2 |
| Flavor | 7.6 | 7.0 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 7.6 |
| Soluble solids, % | 9.7 | 11.3 | 11.8 | 11.6 | 10.8 |
How to cultivate blackberry Prime-Ark Freedom?
1. Avoid wet area when planted;
2. Annual pre-emergence and postemergence herbicide applications;
3. Annual spring nitrogen fertilization (56 kg/ha) using ammonium nitrate;
4. Tipping primocanes at 1.1 m height two times each season usually in mid-June and late July or early August;
5. Dormant pruning of primocane-fruiting plants must include removing dead floricanes and removing primocane tissue to a point below the fruiting (flowering) area on the primocanes;
6. Dormant pruning of floricane-fruiting plants must include removing dead floricanes and pruning lateral branches to ~0.4 m in length;
7. Use drip irrigation;
8. A single application of iron sulfate in late fall and lime sulfur in early spring.
2. Annual pre-emergence and postemergence herbicide applications;
3. Annual spring nitrogen fertilization (56 kg/ha) using ammonium nitrate;
4. Tipping primocanes at 1.1 m height two times each season usually in mid-June and late July or early August;
5. Dormant pruning of primocane-fruiting plants must include removing dead floricanes and removing primocane tissue to a point below the fruiting (flowering) area on the primocanes;
6. Dormant pruning of floricane-fruiting plants must include removing dead floricanes and pruning lateral branches to ~0.4 m in length;
7. Use drip irrigation;
8. A single application of iron sulfate in late fall and lime sulfur in early spring.
Relevant documents
Useful Growing Guides:
Reviews of the variety Prime-Ark Freedom
Review from [TREEHOUSE FARM AND VINEYARD]
Ponca Prime Ark Freedom Thornless Blackberry April 2023 Update
Review from [ADAFRUIT]
An update to my previous review. The plant has produced two replacement canes that look very strong, so I was wrong when I said the bush was dead. I will wait for the harvest
Review from [ADAFRUIT]
I am disappointed. The plant died in the first winter, cracked shoots at the base. The lowest winter temperature was -12, held for three days, the other days were warm, but windy and rainy. Other berries are doing fine. Look at the pictures (made in March):
Review from [AZ BOTHANIC]
Maravilla Prime Ark freedom
Review from [EARDW]
Prime-Ark Freedom Blackberries in North Florida, October 2022 Update
Review from [YOUR WORLD EXPLORER]
Important details in video
Review from [EARDW]
5 month view growing Primocane Blackberries in Zone 8B
Review from [EUBANKS FAMILY HOMESTEAD]
Update on my Prime Ark Freedom thornless blackberry plants!!
Review from [YOUR WORLD EXPLORER]
Prime Ark Freedom In Florida Progress Report 7-1-22
Review from [BLUE]
Pruning Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries
Review from [DIRK TANNER GARDEN & HOMESTEAD]
Best Blackberry Plant to Grow in the South | Prime Ark Freedom
What is the best blackberry plant to grow in the south/southeast United States? Prime Ark Freedom blackberry is the answer. This blackberry produces large berries and you get first year growth on first year primocanes. This is the perfect addition to your garden, farm, or homestead.
What is the best blackberry plant to grow in the south/southeast United States? Prime Ark Freedom blackberry is the answer. This blackberry produces large berries and you get first year growth on first year primocanes. This is the perfect addition to your garden, farm, or homestead.
Review from [EUBANKS FAMILY HOMESTEAD]
Prime Ark Freedom thornless blackberries update. They are growing great and looking good
Review from [EUBANKS FAMILY HOMESTEAD]
They are growing great and looking good
Review from [JOYNER BLUEBERRY FARM & NURSERY]
3-21-22 update pruning, secondary spring crop (major crop in fall sept/ october)
Review from [NANCY FARM FANCY]
Let’s Walk - Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries
Review from [DREAM VENTURINI - WHERE THE YOCALS GROW]
Hey ya’ll, in this video we will be PLANTING my first ever BLACKBERRY bush in a CONTAINER.
This is the 3rd and final video of my GROW YOUR BERRIES in a CONTAINER series. We’ll also take a small tour of the different varieties of Berry Bushes/plants that I have already PLANTED in a CONTAINER.
BLACKBERRY featured in this video is a thornless, Prime Arkansas Freedom BLACKBERRY. Is the first thornless BLACKBERRY variety from the University of Arkansas. Berries are medium to large fruit with excellent flavor that ripens in July the first year and again in Fall. Attracts POLLINATORS, including birds and butterflies. (Information from plant addicts).
This is the 3rd and final video of my GROW YOUR BERRIES in a CONTAINER series. We’ll also take a small tour of the different varieties of Berry Bushes/plants that I have already PLANTED in a CONTAINER.
BLACKBERRY featured in this video is a thornless, Prime Arkansas Freedom BLACKBERRY. Is the first thornless BLACKBERRY variety from the University of Arkansas. Berries are medium to large fruit with excellent flavor that ripens in July the first year and again in Fall. Attracts POLLINATORS, including birds and butterflies. (Information from plant addicts).
Review from [AZ BOTHANIC]
Blackberry Prime Ark freedom
Review from [ODENWALD HONEY AND TROPICAL FRUITS]
Thornless Prime Ark Freedom Blackberry
Review from [LOUISIANA GARDNER]
My plants are starting their third year. While they started very small, they have definitely reached their max height and are still spreading. I have two plants. The one with 100% direct son is doing slightly better than the plan partially shaded by a privacy fence. The fruit is sweet and plentiful. I would buy these again!
Review from [TERRY]
If you live in a northern state, similar to NW PA, your second crop of berries will freeze before they ripen. My plants are super healthy and are still green with all their leaves in mid January. I expect a good crop this Summer. A better choice for northern gardeners might be the new Ponco variety
Review from [WENDY THE "GOOGLE GARDNER"]
We got these plants last spring, by fall they were producing and growing like weeds! We were very happy with these blackberries. Very flavorful! Easy to grow!
Review from [GREEN THUMB BEAVIS]
i bought my blackberry plants from gurneys over 10 years ago - they have spread and i get huge yields of big, ripe berries, year after year. i love the cover they make too - it's used by rabbits and groundhogs. you will need to be patient with them - the first few years you won't see lots of berries - just be sure to keep pruning the canes back a foot or so to keep them from turning into vines. and if you don't want them to spread, don't let cane ends constantly touch the ground -or they will spread. i let mine spread as i wanted lots of cover and berries. good luck!
Review from [AZ BOTHANIC]
Review from [ARVBNB]
This was from a March 2021 update of my Prime Ark Freedom Blackberry patch in the urban food forest.
I found a local big box nursery that had pallets of the Prime Ark Freedom variety and was able to pick through some of the better ones.
I only bought two one gallon containers but was able to pull out 5 individual plants, so a solid buy 2 get 3 free!
I have been experimenting with container Hugelkultur methods for a few years now and applying the system in a half wine barrel seems to work out well for berries. This particular garden is located in San Diego, Ca. zone 10B.
The first video from last year's production can be seen here.
I may be randomly posting more updates from this past summer from video that I recorded but did not post.
I found a local big box nursery that had pallets of the Prime Ark Freedom variety and was able to pick through some of the better ones.
I only bought two one gallon containers but was able to pull out 5 individual plants, so a solid buy 2 get 3 free!
I have been experimenting with container Hugelkultur methods for a few years now and applying the system in a half wine barrel seems to work out well for berries. This particular garden is located in San Diego, Ca. zone 10B.
The first video from last year's production can be seen here.
I may be randomly posting more updates from this past summer from video that I recorded but did not post.
Review from [THE STREET'S]
This is what my Prime Ark Freedom blackberries look like in the middle of June in zone 7A. I do fertilize them regularly with fox farm and trellis them. I took the time to put them in really good soil and apply mulch on top. They are irrigated off a drip system.
Review from [ROSS RADDI]
This is one of the few primocane blackberry varieties. Bred by the University of Arkansas, it produces fruit two times a year. On new canes and old. The berries are massive in size and very sweet.
Zone 7A - Greater Philadelphia
Review from [ARVBNB]
This is an update of my second year blackberries planted from small plants purchased online last year. These plants produce incredibly large, delicious berries on both the prima cane and flora cane. This particular plants are producing from the prima cane that came up this spring here in San Diego, zone 10-B. I am absolutely impressed with the size, production, quality and most important, taste! These have a long picking window and can remain on the plant for extra sweetness. Please visit my permaculture channel at Primal Vida Permaculture for other similar garden content.
Review from [HYDRO]
My plants have been producing since march and no signs of stopping. Even with continuous rose beetle damage, most of the fruit is quite large and very delicious! I like that they’re large enough that you can actually savor the flavor of a particularly nice berry. I don’t really know if I’m getting primocanes or floricanes sometimes, but it seems any kind of growth with eventually end up with blooms.
Heavy pruning on these seems to force a lot of new blooms/fruit. They actually act a lot like the mulberries in my climate. One thing I’ve learned is that they don’t need support if properly pruned and they can bear fruit as low as you’d like. Once a primocane has finished fruiting, I clip it back to a healthy-looking node. At that time, some of the floricanes will have probably started growing already.
I have very wet and humid weather most of the year. Anthracnose can be a problem in these conditions. My Natchez has been affected many times, and for whatever reason, it has never fruited. I’ve seen it occasionally on my PAF, but so far it seems quite resilient.
I’m no expert, but I believe this variety is a gem. Prime Ark Traveler is very similar, but not quite as prolific. I’m starting a ton of new cuttings to plant a large patch of these for our local market.
Heavy pruning on these seems to force a lot of new blooms/fruit. They actually act a lot like the mulberries in my climate. One thing I’ve learned is that they don’t need support if properly pruned and they can bear fruit as low as you’d like. Once a primocane has finished fruiting, I clip it back to a healthy-looking node. At that time, some of the floricanes will have probably started growing already.
I have very wet and humid weather most of the year. Anthracnose can be a problem in these conditions. My Natchez has been affected many times, and for whatever reason, it has never fruited. I’ve seen it occasionally on my PAF, but so far it seems quite resilient.
I’m no expert, but I believe this variety is a gem. Prime Ark Traveler is very similar, but not quite as prolific. I’m starting a ton of new cuttings to plant a large patch of these for our local market.
Review from [DAVID]
First off 1/2 the plants were dug up and moved further apart. So this test bed is now 12 plants.(5ft apart)
2nd the weather is insane. 2016 It rained 3 days non stop during flowering so this reduced the yield.
We had a huge drought at the end of 2016 so that will affect the 2017 yield as many floricanes died.
2016 was the first floricane crop and was 46lb of good quality fruit from 12 plants.
Humans and birds feeding on early ripening fruit was probably another 2lb.
So yield was 4lb per plant.
Observations:
This is a really low chill hour blackberry, my guess is its under 100 chill hours.
So for tropical areas that could never grow blackberries they can grow this variety.
The fruit is large but has large seeds so for processing a lot of the weight is seeds.
Specific to our climate the primacane flowering is just a disease and insect vector and not a benefit.
We are a no spray operation so we are trying to crop the floricanes for early fruit thus missing insect damage.
How many lbs of lower yields is worth having no thorns?
If you are the one working in the crop NO thorns is very very nice.
These are starting to flower now so we may see fruit at the end of April 2017.
Thank you all for your interest, input and feedback on this blackberry variety.
Thanks also to the hard work of Dr. John Clark and University of Arkansas for some interesting fruit varieties.
2nd the weather is insane. 2016 It rained 3 days non stop during flowering so this reduced the yield.
We had a huge drought at the end of 2016 so that will affect the 2017 yield as many floricanes died.
2016 was the first floricane crop and was 46lb of good quality fruit from 12 plants.
Humans and birds feeding on early ripening fruit was probably another 2lb.
So yield was 4lb per plant.
Observations:
This is a really low chill hour blackberry, my guess is its under 100 chill hours.
So for tropical areas that could never grow blackberries they can grow this variety.
The fruit is large but has large seeds so for processing a lot of the weight is seeds.
Specific to our climate the primacane flowering is just a disease and insect vector and not a benefit.
We are a no spray operation so we are trying to crop the floricanes for early fruit thus missing insect damage.
How many lbs of lower yields is worth having no thorns?
If you are the one working in the crop NO thorns is very very nice.
These are starting to flower now so we may see fruit at the end of April 2017.
Thank you all for your interest, input and feedback on this blackberry variety.
Thanks also to the hard work of Dr. John Clark and University of Arkansas for some interesting fruit varieties.
Review from [K8TPAYASO]
I’m in zone 8 and I put in PAF two years ago. I grow them in partial shade because we are so hot. I’m a blackberry novice but these have been fantastic. They have not gone dormant here. I am beginning to pick berries and the primocanes are already pushing up above the floricanes crop. The are very vigorous plants. The berries are large and sweet when fully ripe. Good blackberry flavor.
The primocanes started ripening in July last year and continued until November but I didn’t have many at a time. Enough to munch on. The production on the floricanes has at least tripled this year. Two years ago this May these were two inch root cuttings…
The first pic is of a primocane that slipped up on me and I tipped it last weekend and it’s already sending out laterals…well, straight up laterals. They get top heavy very quick.
The primocanes started ripening in July last year and continued until November but I didn’t have many at a time. Enough to munch on. The production on the floricanes has at least tripled this year. Two years ago this May these were two inch root cuttings…
The first pic is of a primocane that slipped up on me and I tipped it last weekend and it’s already sending out laterals…well, straight up laterals. They get top heavy very quick.