Wholesale deciduous
Blackberries
Rubus spp. (blackberry cultivars)Also known as Rubus fruticosus · Blackberry canes
The most realistic of the three wholesale cane-berry groups for the low desert, provided its roots stay evenly moist and its fruiting canes are protected from brutal western sun.
Check the current program →Before you plant
These conditions determine whether it will actually fruit.
Use a soil test before planting. Build a deep, well-drained, organic-rich bed; high-pH calcareous soil can lock up iron and zinc, while excessive sulfur or salty compost can burn roots.
In Phoenix and Tucson, choose an east- or north-facing exposure with morning sun, afternoon shade, no reflected west-wall heat, good airflow, and a permanently mulched root zone. Full western exposure is a poor bet even when the plant survives.
Right plant, right place
Will Blackberries grow at your Arizona property?
Blackberries are the safest starting point among these wholesale berries for a low-desert property. Give them a dedicated amended strip or raised bed, dependable irrigation, afternoon protection, and access for annual cane removal.
Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b, High desert · USDA 6a–8b.
Light
Sun exposure
Low desert: morning sun with filtered or full afternoon shade. Above roughly 2,500 ft: full sun is more realistic, with wind and late-frost protection.
Water
Irrigation
Keep the root zone evenly moist but never waterlogged. Deep mulch is essential; drip irrigation may need to run daily or every other day during establishment and fruiting heat.
Fruit set
Pollination
Self-fruitful. Bees improve fruit set and berry development; nearby compatible blackberry cultivars can lengthen and diversify the harvest.
Harvest
How to use it
Harvest only when berries turn dull black and release easily. Eat fresh, freeze, bake, or preserve as jam and syrup.
Choose the actual plant, not only the label
Cultivars & selections
The current wholesale program offers Black Satin and Triple Crown. Both are thornless, but Triple Crown is the stronger first choice for a protected low-desert garden; Black Satin becomes easier as summer temperatures moderate or elevation increases.
Black Satin
Rubus 'Black Satin'Mature sizeSemi-erect 5–8 ft canes; train across a sturdy trellis
Best forThornless access, large fruit, and protected moderate-summer or shaded zone-9 sites
A vigorous thornless selection with large sweet-tart berries. It needs more afternoon protection than Triple Crown in the hottest Valley locations and should not be placed against a heat-radiating west wall.
Triple Crown
Rubus 'Triple Crown'Mature sizeVery vigorous semi-erect 8–15 ft canes; allocate a long trellis row
Best forFlavor, productivity, thornless harvest, and the stronger heat tolerance of the current wholesale pair
The better low-desert candidate of the two when supplied with rich soil, thick mulch, consistent irrigation, and filtered afternoon shade. Tip and train its long new canes rather than letting the row become an inaccessible thicket.
Planting & stewardship
How to help Blackberries thrive
- 1
Test soil pH and drainage before planting; target 5.6–6.5 and avoid a perched, waterlogged root zone.
- 2
Plant dormant canes from late January through March and mulch the full row several inches deep without burying the crowns.
- 3
Keep young plants and ripening fruit consistently moist; irregular watering produces weak growth and small or damaged berries.
- 4
After harvest, remove the floricanes that just fruited at ground level and retain healthy new primocanes for next year.
- 5
Use shade cloth or a structure to protect fruit from late-season sunburn while preserving airflow around the canes.
Seasonal availability
Find it through the community order.
Black Satin and Triple Crown are seasonal bare-root wholesale selections. Preorders generally reopen before the winter distribution season; current varieties and quantities can change with nursery availability.