Balsors Blackberry vs Grouseberry - TreeTime.ca

Balsors Blackberry vs Grouseberry

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Rubus fruticosus Balsors

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Grouseberry
Balsors Blackberry

Grouseberry is a native, low-growing deciduous shrub known for its edible red berries. In early summer, it produces small, urn-shaped flowers ranging from white to pink that attract bees and other pollinators. The berries provide an important food source for many types of wildlife, including game birds such as grouse, which gives the plant its common name. People can also enjoy the berries fresh or in baked goods, though they can be difficult to harvest in large quantities.

Spreading by rhizomes, Grouseberry forms dense, broom-like mats that help stabilize soil and prevent erosion, while also providing cover for ground-nesting wildlife. It is commonly found beneath conifers in open forests, subalpine meadows, and occasionally on rocky slopes in mountainous regions. It is well-suited for naturalization, ecological restoration, and soil stabilization projects.

Balsors Blackberry is a cold-hardy variety that produces very large, sweet and juicy blackberries late in the summer. They are great for baking and fresh eating.

Balsors Blackberry is a 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.

Grouseberry Quick Facts

Balsors Blackberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: shade, partial shade
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: low growing, colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish
Bark: has thorns
Flowers: small pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: spring
Berries: small, bright red, edible
Berries: black
Fruit size: large
Firmness: soft
Flavor: tart
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: summer
Harvest: August
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: dwarf red whortleberry, grouse whortleberry, little-leaved huckleberry, red alpine blueberry, small-leaved huckleberry
Other Names: balsor hardy blackberry, balsors hardy black blackberry, balsors hardy blackberry, hardy black blackberry, illinois blackberry