Thornless Boysenberry
Best self-fruitful choice for home gardeners wanting easy, delicious berry harvests.
Discover the original Thornless Boysenberry, a celebrated Rubus caneberry hybrid popularized by Walter Knott. This plant produces large, juicy, sweet-tart berries, perfect for fresh eating, jams, pies, or preserves. It features a vine-like, trailing growth habit and is self-fruitful, offering an early harvest. Known for its fast growth rate and green foliage, this deciduous shrub requires regular care, including annual pruning of old canes. It thrives in full sun and average to moist conditions, making it an excellent choice for edible landscaping, massing, or orchards in suitable climates.
$19.99
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
866
/ 2688
#866 in Bushes & Shrubs
Price vs Category Average
-49%
Below average
Mature Height
6
/ feet
Who it's for
- Families with children wanting a safe, easy picking experience
- Home cooks seeking premium flavor for fresh eating and baking
- Gardeners looking for a high-volume summer berry harvest
Who should skip it
- Gardeners lacking space or materials for sturdy support structures
- Beginners intimidated by specific annual maintenance and pruning requirements
- Growers unwilling to manage bird netting or pest control
Performance breakdown
Harvest Yield
Self-fruitful nature ensures a reliable, abundant crop without needing cross-pollinators.
Ease of Maintenance
Fast growth requires consistent annual pruning to manage trailing, vine-like canes.
Culinary Versatility
Large, sweet-tart berries excel in everything from fresh snacking to preserves.
Landscape Utility
Coarse texture provides a striking visual contrast in edible garden designs.
Climate Adaptability
Wide hardiness range makes this hybrid viable for diverse regional climates.
Growth Vigor
Rapid development quickly establishes a productive, lush presence in the garden.
Key Specs
Mature Height
6 feet
Mature Width
6 feet
Growth Rate
Fast
Light Needs
Full Sun
Water Needs
Average to Moist
Pruning Time
Remove Dead Canes
Self Pollinating
Yes
Hardiness Zone
4a to 10
Features
- Self-fruitful, requiring no second plant for fruit set
- Coarse texture stands out among other landscape plants
What customers say
The Thornless Boysenberry consistently earns high marks for quality and ease of use. Gardeners appreciate the exceptional convenience of harvesting without painful thorns, making berry collection a simple pleasure. The plants sourced from Armstrong Garden Centers are noted for their robust health and vigorous growth, leading to reliable, abundant yields of delicious fruit. This dependable performance and superior user experience solidify its reputation as a worthwhile investment for home gardens.
Know before you buy
No, the Thornless Boysenberry is self-fruitful. You will get a harvest even if you only plant a single specimen.
Since this variety reaches a mature height and width of 6 feet, you should provide a sturdy trellis or fence for support. Its trailing, vine-like habit requires enough room to spread out for healthy growth and easy harvesting.
The most important task is annual pruning. You should remove the old canes that have already fruited to encourage new, productive growth for the following season.
This variety is quite versatile, with a hardiness range spanning zones 4a through 10. As long as you provide full sun and consistent moisture, it is well-suited for a wide variety of growing regions.
This is a fast-growing shrub. You can expect it to establish itself quickly in your landscape, provided it receives adequate water and sunlight.
Still have a question?
Ask Hayley anything about this product before you decide.
Ready to buy?
$20