Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry

Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry 

Triple Crown is a vigorous, highly productive thornless blackberry known for its large, glossy black berries and exceptional flavor that balances sweetness with a pleasant tart finish. This variety is a favorite among home gardeners, homesteaders, and pick-your-own farms thanks to its heavy yields and reliable performance.

The semi-erect canes are strong but benefit greatly from trellising, which improves airflow, sun exposure, and ease of harvest. Triple Crown is well adapted to warm climates and demonstrates good heat tolerance while still performing well in a range of growing regions.

Mature Size: 5–8 ft. long canes
Spacing: 3–5 ft. apart
Harvest Season: Late summer (typically August) through early fall
Growth Habit: Semi-erect, thornless canes

Growing Information

USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Sun Exposure: Full sun preferred (6–8+ hours daily); tolerates light partial sun
Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy soil
Soil pH: Slightly acidic (ideal range 6.0–6.8)

Watering

Keep soil consistently moist, especially during flowering and fruit development. Provide about 1–2 inches of water per week. Water deeply once or twice weekly rather than frequent shallow watering. Avoid soggy soil, as blackberries do not tolerate standing water.

Sunlight

While Triple Crown can tolerate partial sun, full sun produces the best yields, berry size, and sweetness. More sunlight also helps reduce disease pressure and improves fruit ripening.

Fertilizing

Feed plants to encourage vigorous cane growth and heavy fruit production:

• Early Spring (as new growth begins): Apply a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 at a rate of ½ cup per plant, spread evenly 12–18 inches from the crown. Water thoroughly after application.

• Late Spring to Early Summer (after flowering): Apply a lighter second feeding of ¼–½ cup per plant to support fruit development and strong cane growth for the following season.

Compost or well-aged manure may also be used. Avoid over-fertilizing with high nitrogen, which can result in excessive leafy growth and fewer berries.

Pruning

Triple Crown produces fruit on second-year canes (floricanes).

• During the growing season, tip new first-year canes (primocanes) when they reach about 4–5 feet tall to encourage side branching

• After harvest, remove canes that produced fruit by cutting them at ground level
• In late winter, trim lateral branches (side shoots growing from the main canes) back to about 12–18 inches
• Remove weak, damaged, or overcrowded canes to improve airflow and light penetration

What does “tipping” mean?
Tipping means cutting off the top 1–2 inches of a young cane once it reaches the desired height. This encourages the plant to grow side branches, which will produce more fruit and make the plant easier to manage.

Because Triple Crown has a semi-erect habit, using a trellis or support system is highly recommended for best growth and easier harvesting.

Harvesting

Berries typically begin ripening in August and can continue into early fall. Plants are capable of producing very high yields, with mature plants sometimes producing up to 10–13 pounds of fruit under good growing conditions.

Fruit is ready to pick when berries are fully black, plump, and detach easily with a gentle pull. Harvest every few days during peak season. Refrigerate promptly and use within several days, or preserve by freezing, canning, or making jams.

Propagation

Triple Crown blackberries can be propagated easiest by tip layering.

Tip layering:

1. In late summer, select a long, flexible cane.

2. Bend the cane tip down to the soil surface.

3. Bury the tip 2–3 inches deep in loose soil, leaving the rest of the cane attached to the plant.

4. Keep soil moist while roots develop.

5. Once rooted, cut the new plant free from the parent cane and transplant.

Plant Quality

Our Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry plants are propagated from tissue culture stock. This process helps produce clean, uniform plants with reduced risk of disease and strong, vigorous growth from the start.