The Loganberry is a deciduous, fruiting plant that was created by the cross-pollination of multiple species in the Rubus genus. Loganberry plants produce sweet tasting red berries during the summer and can tolerate cold temperatures and a wide range of soil types. The berry itself is closely related to the Blackberry and the Red Raspberry.
Suitable for Sub-Arctic, Cold and Temperate climates.
These Loganberry seeds are from the fruit of an organic berry farm in Victoria, Australia. Loganberries have become very popular as fruit begins to ripen much earlier than the Blackberry or Raspberry. On commercial farms, by the time Blackberries start to ripen the Loganberry has already been harvested and pruned for the next season.
The plant and the fruits hold more resemblance to the blackberry than the raspberry, but the colour of the berries are dark red, rather than black as in blackberries. Each bush can produce 7 kg to 8 kg (15 lb to 18 lb) of fruit a year. Plants will continue to fruit for around 15 years, and can also self-propagate.
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Growth
Loganberry 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 Loganberries are both drought and frost tolerant, though do enjoy additional watering during the flower and fruiting periods.
The Loganberry 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 250.
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
No.
WEED POTENTIAL:
No.
EDIBLE:
Yes.
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) up to 3 years.
FACTS ABOUT RUBUS LOGANBERRY ( Loganberry )
The Loganberry cultivar was accidentally created by James Harvey Logan, an American judge, in 1881 in California, USA.
Due to its high Vitamin C content, the plants berries were used by the British navy at the beginning of the 20th century as a method of preventing sailors from getting scurvy.
This variety of berry is not very popular with commercial growers as the plants are difficult to harvest with machinery. Plants tend to be thorny and the berries often hide behind the leaves. The other common issue is that the berries ripen at varying stages making it unfeasible to prioritise over other prominent berry varieties.
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.
