Chester Thornless Blackberry vs Wild Red Raspberry - TreeTime.ca

Chester Thornless Blackberry vs Wild Red Raspberry

Rubus idaeus

Rubus fruticosa Chester (Thornless)

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Wild Red Raspberry
Chester Thornless Blackberry

The Wild Red Raspberry produces small, tart, red berries. They are delicious when eaten fresh, but also add flavor to preserves or desserts. They are highly suckering and can be high yielding.

The Wild Red Raspberry is also otherwise known as the American Red Raspberry, European Red Raspberry, Grayleaf Raspberry, or the Common Red Raspberry.

The Wild Red Raspberry are floricanes, primarily fruiting on second year canes. Each spring cut back all two-year old canes, leaving only the last year’s growth. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn’t require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

Chester Thornless Blackberry is a self-pollinating fruit-bearing shrub. In mid-summer, the Chester Thornless Blackberry produces large, sweet-tasting, heart-shaped blackberries that are perfect for fresh eating. It is a semi-erect blackberry plant that requires little support from a trellis to keep its fruit off the ground. Don't forget to protect your berries. The birds love this shrub almost as much as you will.

Chester Thornless Blackberries are floricanes, primarily fruiting on second year canes. Each spring cut back all two-year old canes, leaving only the last year’s growth.

Wild Red Raspberry Quick Facts

Chester Thornless Blackberry Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3b
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: high
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: high


Flowers: white
Flowers: pink
Fruit: small, tart
Berries: heart shaped black
Firmness: firm
Harvest: July
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: american red raspberry, common red raspberry, european red raspberry, grayleaf red raspberry, red raspberry
Other Names: chester blackberry, hardy blackberry