Thornless Blackberry Loch Ness - Rubus fruticosus

The Loch Ness Blackberry is a thornless variety of garden blackberry. Its large elongated fruits weigh up to 4g. They are shiny black with violet reflections. Firm and slightly acidic, they are juicy and deliciously fragrant. They are ideal for eating fresh or in pies. The harvest takes place once the fruits are ripe, from late August to October.

The Blackberry belongs to the Rubus genus, which originates from the mountains of the Caucasus in Asia Minor. The genus has diversified over time and has given rise to several subgenera, including raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and common blackberry (Rubus fruticosus). This latter genus has numerous subspecies with differences in fruit size, colour, and acidity. In Europe and America, this berry has been consumed for about 2000 years. The Loch Ness Blackberry, of European origin, belongs to the Rubus fruticosus subgenus and is part of cultivated blackberries.

Hardy and easy to grow, the Loch Ness Blackberry is content with ordinary soil, although it prefers fertile, well-drained, and fresh soil. It will thrive against a sunny or partially shaded wall, showcasing the bare wood of its flexible branches in winter. Garden blackberries are hybrids derived from the thornless common blackberry, Rubus var. inermis, itself obtained through cross-breeding between the blackberry and the raspberry. Extensive work on improvement and selection has led to the development of numerous thornless varieties, many of which are of American origin.
The Loch Ness Blackberry is a climbing perennial plant with a semi-shrub and bushy habit. The branches can reach a length of 2 to 3 m (7 to 10ft), and the stump can occupy 0.5 m (2ft) of the ground. These branches will need to be trained: fence, wire mesh, trellis, pergola, arches, there are many solutions.
The foliage is deciduous, bright green, composed of compound and dentate leaves with visible veins, very similar to raspberry leaves. The stems are thornless. They only live for fruiting (2 years) and are gradually replaced by suckers emerging from the stump.
The abundant and honey-scented flowering consists of numerous small white-pink flowers, 1.5 to 2 cm (1in) in diameter, grouped in clusters. It takes place from May to June, starting from the first year of planting.

The formed fruits are composed of aggregated drupes attached to the receptacle. They are large in size, much larger than those of wild blackberries, turning from red to black when ripe, from August to November. They should be picked when fully black, as they are then sweet and tangy, juicy and flavorful. The fruits can be consumed fresh after picking, in jellies, jams, on pies, or even in sorbets, syrups, and juices. They can be perfectly preserved in the freezer.