These plants ship November through May from Pense Berry Farms in Mountainburg, Arkansas. Orders placed between May 21 and October 31 ship in November and December. Online orders of products from Pense Berry Farms require a $150.00 minimum. For smaller orders, please contact us.
Origin: 'Ponca', also known as Sweet-Ark® Ponca™, is a new thornless, erect blackberry cultivar developed at the University of Arkansas by Dr. John R. Clark. It was released in 2019. It originated from a hand-pollinated cross of 'Ark. 2406' and 'Ark. 2253T'. It was selected for its exceptional sweetness, early ripening, and good postharvest handling potential.
Patent Status: 'Ponca' is protected by U.S. Plant Patent PP33,330, granted on 2021-08-10 to University of Arkansas at Little Rock until it expires on
2040-05-21. This plant patent grants the breeder exclusive rights to asexually reproduce the plant. Unauthorized propagation or sale of the cultivar is prohibited during the term of the patent.
Berry Production: Produces medium-sized, very firm, glossy black berries with a remarkably sweet, sub-acid flavor and an attractive aromatic component. It is considered the sweetest blackberry cultivar released by the University of Arkansas to date, with soluble solids often exceeding 10% and sometimes reaching 13%. It is a high-yielding variety with consistent production.
Ripening Time: 'Ponca' is an early-season ripening blackberry, maturing around the same time as 'Natchez', providing an early option for growers and home gardeners. It is a floricane-fruiting variety.
Plant Size and Appearance: 'Ponca' has an erect and compact growth habit with thornless canes, making harvesting easy. The canes have shortened internodes. Mature plants typically reach 4-6 feet in height and 3-4 feet in width. Primocanes emerge above the fruiting canopy, which simplifies tipping management.
Flowers: Produces typical white blackberry flowers in the spring on the previous year's canes (floricanes). It is self-pollinating.
Hardiness: Generally hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9. It exhibits good winter hardiness, comparable to 'Ouachita', with limited winter injury reported down to 1°F (-17°C). It also shows good secondary bud crop potential following cold injury.
Pollination: 'Ponca' is self-fertile and does not require another blackberry variety for pollination.
Growing Conditions:
Sunlight: Requires full sun for optimal fruit production and flavor (at least 6-8 hours per day).
Soil: Prefers well-drained, fertile soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0).
Watering: Requires consistent moisture, especially during flowering and fruit development.
Fertilizing: Follow standard recommendations for blackberry fertilization in your region.
Pruning: Blackberries fruit on floricanes. After fruiting, these canes should be pruned back to the ground. New primocanes (first-year canes) can be tipped after harvest to encourage lateral branching. Further pruning can be done in early spring to manage the fruiting laterals.
Uses: The berries are excellent for:
Fresh eating due to their outstanding sweetness and flavor.
Local market sales and home gardens.
Commercial production due to good postharvest fruit-handling potential and firmness.
Making jams, jellies, and preserves.
Freezing.
Wildlife Value: The flowers attract pollinators, and the berries are a food source for birds and other wildlife.
Ornamental Value: The thornless, erect growth habit makes it a manageable and attractive addition to the garden.
Disease and Pest Resistance: 'Ponca' exhibits very good plant health with no orange rust or anthracnose observed in research trials and very limited cane/leaf rust.
