Why the ‘Ouachita’ Blackberry Is Truly Outstanding
July 31, 2020 
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture fruit breeder John R. Clark shows off the ‘Ouachita’ blackberry. The fruit was recently recognized as an outstanding performer. Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas
John Clark, a columnist with American Fruit Grower and Western Fruit Grower magazines, is taking a victory lap this summer with his University of Arkansas colleagues. ‘Ouachita’ blackberry, a 2003 thornless variety out of the UA System Division of Agriculture, on July 24 received the Outstanding Fruit Cultivar Award from the Fruit Breeding Professional Interest Group of the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS).
“’Ouachita’ has been the most important variety from our fruit breeding program,” said Clark, a Distinguished Professor of Horticulture for the school’s Division of Agriculture and a fruit breeder with the division’s research arm, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Almost 5 million ‘Ouachita’ blackberry plants have been propagated and sold, Clark said, based on reports from licensed propagators, who sell the plants to nurseries and commercial fruit farms. An earlier award winner, ‘Navaho,’ had nearly 2 million plants sold.
“Plant sales are the strongest reflection of its importance,” Clark said.
The Outstanding Fruit Cultivar Award, which originated in 1987, recognizes noteworthy achievements in fruit breeding and highlights a modern fruit introduction that has a significant impact on the industry. The award was presented during the ASHS Fruit Breeding Professional Interest Group meeting, which was held virtually this year.
While sales are a good indicator of popularity with growers and consumers, ‘Ouachita’ made significant impacts in other ways, particularly because of its good storage and shipping qualities.
“’Ouachita’ contributed substantially to the establishment of a commercial shipping market blackberry industry in the eastern U.S., especially in the South, in the years following its release in 2003,” Clark said. “It has also been planted in other regions of the U.S., including western, midwestern, and northeastern states.
“The idea of a shipping industry based largely on southern U.S. production developed because of an increase in imported Mexican blackberries in the 1990s to early 2000s. Shippers wanted to continue marketing blackberries after the Mexican production season ended in late May.”
‘Ouachita’ is the second blackberry and third fruit from the Arkansas fruit breeding program to receive the award, Clark said. The first Arkansas blackberry to receive the award was ‘Navaho’, released in 1989. ‘Cardinal’ strawberry, released by the division in 1974, also received the ASHS award.
To read more on the award, click here.
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