Illini Hardy Blackberry vs Firecracker Goji Berry - TreeTime.ca

Illini Hardy Blackberry vs Firecracker Goji Berry

Rubus fruticosus Illini Hardy

Lycium barbarum Firecracker

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Illini Hardy Blackberry
Firecracker Goji Berry

The Illini Hardy Blackberry was developed in Illinois for northern growers, and produces a large, juicy blackberry with medium-sweet flavor. The berries are ready for harvest in midsummer, and go great in preserves.

The Illini Hardy Blackberry, or the Illinois Blackberry, 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.

The Firecracker Goji Berry is a thornless cultivar of the Goji Berry that is known for its sweet red berries. This deciduous perennial produces purple flowers from June through September, with fruit maturation taking place between August and October. Fruit production typically starts in the second year of growth with maximum production in the fourth and fifth year.

Firecracker Goji Berry berries are delicious, nutrient rich, high in antioxidants, and are often called a super fruit. Many describe the Firecracker as sweeter than other cultivars.

Illini Hardy Blackberry Quick Facts

Firecracker Goji Berry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: black
Berries: red
Flavor: medium
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: July
Harvest: June - September
Flowers: purple
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: none




Other Names: illinois blackberry
Other Names: goji berry firecracker