Marionberry Plant

Marionberry — also called Marion Blackberry — is the Cabernet of blackberries: a complex, sweet-tart berry with a depth of flavor that devoted fans in the Pacific Northwest consider simply without peer among blackberry varieties. Developed at Oregon State University in 1945 from a Rubus Chehalem × Rubus Olallie cross — drawing on native blackberry, raspberry, and loganberry lineage — it was named for Marion County, Oregon, where it became the defining berry of the region’s food culture. Conical-shaped, medium-to-large, firm, and juicy, it ripens in June–July and is prized above all other berries for pies, jams, jellies, syrups, and fresh eating by those who’ve experienced it. Self-pollinating in Zones 6–9.

The Cabernet of Blackberries — Complex, Sweet-Tart, and Deeply Flavored

The Marionberry’s flavor reputation is extraordinary. Pacific Northwest food culture has elevated it to near-legendary status — it appears on restaurant menus, drives specialty food products, and inspires devoted growers who return to it year after year because nothing else quite replicates its balance of sweetness, tartness, and deep berry complexity. The conical fruit has more flavor intensity than standard blackberries, with an aromatic quality that comes through powerfully in cooked applications where other berries can taste flat.

Oregon State University, 1945 — Chehalem × Olallie Cross

The Marionberry’s parentage is a fascinating convergence of berry genetics. Rubus Chehalem and Rubus Olallie each carry lineage from multiple native berry species — blackberry, raspberry, and loganberry among them — and their combination produced something with genuinely unique flavor complexity. Developed at Oregon State University in 1945 and named for Marion County, Oregon, it has been the Pacific Northwest’s signature blackberry variety for over 75 years.

Prized for Pies, Jams, and Syrups — The Kitchen Berry

Marionberry’s flavor holds up beautifully through cooking and processing — intensifying rather than flattening in pies, cobblers, and jams where its complex sweet-tart character makes it genuinely outstanding. Marion County, Oregon processes hundreds of thousands of pounds annually for the specialty food market, and homegrown Marionberries bring that same quality to the home kitchen. High in vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.

Why Growers Choose Marionberry

• The Cabernet of blackberries — complex, sweet-tart, deeply flavored and genuinely prized
• Oregon State University, 1945 — named for Marion County, Oregon, the berry’s spiritual home
• Chehalem × Olallie cross — blackberry, raspberry, and loganberry heritage
• Prized for pies, jams, jellies, and syrups — holds up beautifully through cooking
• Trailing habit, vigorous — productive once trained to a trellis or support
• Self-pollinating — productive with just one planting