You can benefit from another new berry plant that Berries For Africa is offering: the Loganberry. Even though it is one of our newest additions to the more than 20 different berry plants that we offer, the Loganberry is actually a fairly old hybrid berry plant that was accidentally bred in 1881 in California by an American judge and horticulturist, James Logan, after whom it is named.
Hybrid?
The Loganberry (Rubus × loganobaccus) is a hybrid of the North American blackberry (Rubus ursinus) and the European raspberry (Rubus idaeus).
James Logan was unsatisfied with the existing varieties of blackberries and attempted to cross two blackberry varieties to produce a superior cultivar. He planted them next to an old variety of red raspberry. During his trials, he discovered that some of the new plantlets were producing a different berry – one that remained red while ripening, had the firmness and resemblance of a blackberry, but tasted much like a red raspberry. This resulted from cross-pollination between the different plants grown in the same area. This led to the creation of the Loganberry plant.
Cultivation
Loganberry plants are sturdy and more resistant to diseases and frost than many other berries. However, they are not very popular with commercial growers due to several factors that increase labor costs. The plants tend to be thorny, and the berries are often hidden by the leaves, making harvesting more difficult. Additionally, berries of varying maturity may grow on a single plant, making it challenging to harvest the entire crop at once.
Loganberries are, therefore, more commonly grown in household gardens, as they are easy to cultivate and care for, producing a high yield of excellent-quality berries. They are generous bearers and can produce more than 7 kg per plant per year, continuing to bear fruit for over 10 years.
Commercial Viability
As mentioned above, the Loganberry plant is thorny and, due to its growth habit, requires an extensive trellising system, adding labor and investment costs. Additionally, it is a lesser-known berry, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, creating a market risk, as demand will be the key factor.
For commercial farming purposes, other self-supporting (erect) and more popular berry varieties—such as our new sweet and high yielding blackberry varieties, red raspberries, Cape gooseberries (new and improved variety), and blueberries, would be better recommendations.
Loganberry Uses
Loganberries can be consumed fresh or used for juice, jams, pies, crumbles, syrups, cordials, and country wines.
Berries for Africa is a nursery grower and supplier of various berry plants. Besides supplying plants of more than 50 different berry cultivars, we offer turnkey consultation services for your production system. These include soil testing and rectifications, planting, fertilising, trellising, hydroponic systems, integrated pest and disease management, pruning, harvesting, and last but not least, the marketing of your fruit.
For berry plant orders or more information about our consultation services, feel free to contact us at info@berriesforafrica.co.za
Contact us.