About
Loch Tay' is a semi-upright, compact blackberry cultivar with thornless canes up to 1.5m high. White flowers are followed by sweet, purple-black fruits cropping relatively early in the season.
About the genus
Rubus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, often scrambling with bristly or prickly stems bearing simple, lobed, palmate or pinnate leaves and 5-petalled flowers followed by juicy, sometimes edible fruits
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHNeutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible, Shrubs
HabitTrailing
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationMost blackberry cultivars are fan-trained on free-standing post and wire support systems but this compact cultivar can be grown with minimal support. Mulch with well rotted compost or manure. May have the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well. See blackberry cultivation for further advice
PruningCut out old canes following fruiting and tie in new canes. See pruning blackberries for more information
PropagationPropagate by tip layering or from cuttings
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, leafhoppers, raspberry beetle and gall mites
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to grey moulds and honey fungus (rarely)