Boysenberry is a deciduous, fruiting plant that was created by the cross-pollination of multiple species in the Rubus genus. Boysenberry plants produce sweet tasting berries during the summer and can tolerate cold temperatures and a wide range of soil types. The berry itself is a combination of Raspberries, Dewberries, Blackberries and Loganberries and is now one of the most popular berries in the world.
Suitable for Sub-Arctic, Cold and Temperate climates.
These Boysenberry seeds are from the fruit of an organic berry farm in Victoria, Australia. Boysenberries are renowned for their larger size compared to other berries and can weight up to 8 grams each (0.28 oz). These berries are soft in texture, have thin skins, and sweet-tartish flavour but are difficult to commercially produce as they can start to decay within a just few days of harvest.
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Growth
Boysenberry is a flowering deciduous shrub that grows to a compact height of up to 3 metres (10 feet) and as wide as 2 metres (7 feet). This species has thorny vines to protect itself from foragers and can sometimes become invasive if not aggressively pruned after the fruiting season. And although the plant is a perennial, each vine fruits biennially, meaning that it grows fresh stems every year but takes two years for them to flower and produce fruit.
Leaves are deciduous, meaning they die off before winter and grow back in the spring, and usually have anywhere between one and five leaflets. The prickly branches often take root if they touch soil which enables the plant to spread. Once established the Boysenberries are both drought and frost tolerant, though do enjoy additional watering during the flower and fruiting periods.
The Boysenberry plant is hermaphrodite and so only requires the one plant to produce fruit. Sweet, edible fruits are the primary attraction and can be dark red, purple, or black and reach a modest length of 3cm (just longer than an inch). The berries arrive during the summer period when plants have reached at least two years old.
Note: Germination instructions can be found in the ‘Germination Instructions Tab’ below. Upon purchase you will receive these detailed instructions via email so that you have a permanent record.
FAMILY:
Rosaceae
CLIMATE:
Sub-Arctic, Cold, Temperate.
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
-20°C to 30°C / -4 to 86°F
SOIL TYPE:
Well-draining.
LOCATION:
Full Sun – Light Shade.
HEIGHT:
Up to 3 metres (10 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 2 metres (7 feet)
pH:
6.0-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Deciduous, Perennial.
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Low-Medium.
POLLINATION:
Pollinated by bees, butterflies, and Insects.
MATURITY:
2-3 years.
GERMINATION RATES:
70-75%
GERMINATION TIME:
Cold Stratification – 3 months and then 6-12 weeks germination
GERMINATION DIFFICULTY:
Medium to Hard. Cold stratification & patience required.
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 200.
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
No.
WEED POTENTIAL:
No.
EDIBLE:
Yes.
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) up to 3 years.
FACTS ABOUT RUBUS BOYSENBERRY ( Boysenberry )
Boysenberries are the result of combining the European or Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), the European Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), the American Dewberry (Rubus aboriginum) and the cultivar, Loganberry.
The origin of the Boysenberry is an interesting story. They are named after Rudolph Boysen who once owned a farm in Anaheim, California. When Boysen sold his farm during the 1920s, his Boysenberries were abandoned and the plants later found wilting by US official, George Darrow and berry expert Mr Walter Knott. Mr Knott nursed the plants back to health and within a few years was selling the berries at his farm stand in 1932.
As the berries popularity grew, Mrs Knott began making jams and pies which became so famous that the couple eventually opened Knott’s Berry Farm. Today, Knott’s Berry Farm is one of the biggest theme parks in Los Angeles.
By the 1950s, some 2,400 Californian acres (970 hectares) was dedicated to growing Boysenberries, usurping the previously more popular Raspberries and Blackberries. A few problems with fungal diseases due to their proximity to the coast saw their acreage plummet by the end of the 1960s. The plants introduction to New Zealand during the early 1980s was a pivotal to the berries modern day success. As of the year 2016, New Zealand was the world’s largest producer and exporter of boysenberries.
There is much discussion in the gardening world on the success of growing seeds from hybrid plants. We have had success ourselves growing a range of hybrid berry seeds and were inspired to by reading articles such as this.
