A giant petunia shrub with big milky blossoms came from Ecuador. Siskiyou blackberry plants, newly named and released from ARS in cooperation with Oregon State University, yield sweet, shiny, pleasantly firm berries. Siskiyou resulted from more than a decade of research trials. It does well in California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada's province of British Columbia. And, based on its good performance in research plantings in North Carolina, scientists say it is worth testing in other southeastern states.
Fresh blackberries are low in calories, contain only a trace of sodium, and are cholesterol-free.
They are high in fiber and vitamin C and are a source of potassium and the B-vitamin folate. The Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission helped fund the research. Developed by ARS scientists, Biloxi's fruit is medium in size, has good color, flavor and firmness, and has small picking scars. It blooms and ripens a few days earlier than Jubilee, a popular ARS-developed commercial variety. That early ripening boosts Biloxi's market price, though growers should take precautions against late spring freezes.