Microberry was bred in Austria in 2008 by the breeder, Lukas Wallmann. It was trialed and selected by a group of 63 people, Lukas thought this would be a better idea since he had little space of his own.

It is an open-source licensed strain (no seed sales without permits, not available for patent). The Microberry strain contains 2/3 of its genetics from the wild variety “Gelbe Johannisbeere”, a multiflora that bares 300-700 fruits per cluster, and is completely blight and virus-resistant in our tests, the other parent involved in the cross is “Tomberry”.

Microberry’s aroma is exactly like “Gelbe Johnannisbeere”- a  strong yellow tomato taste, floral, with apricot and mango notes, not too sweet and not acidic. The fruits are born on large multiflora clusters and are roughly 10-12mm (½”) in size. The plants have an indeterminate growth pattern, although 2m (6.5 feet) is a normal height in most European climates, the potential for much larger plants is there. The largest plant (shown in the photo) was grown by Sascha Drowatschek in Germany in 150l (40 gallons) and was about 2m (6.5 feet) wide and 4m (13 feet) tall.

It is a highly adaptable, hardy plant that has been subjected to improper pH, fertilizers, acidic and basic rainwater, no water, and standing water- all of which have hardly impacted the selected strain. It will easily grow in the heavy clay-laden ground. Microberry was grown and selected for these traits in order to withstand natural elements in many different environments. Combining these rugged traits with its gross yield rates makes Microberry a strain that has the potential to feed impoverished nations with poor soil quality.

Currently, in 2019 the F10 generation is growing, making it a stable, open pollinated variety, no longer a hybrid. Because of this project, over 19,000 seeds have been shared worldwide. If you are interested in acquiring seed, there is a Facebook group of people who have participated in Lukas’ project as trial growers and selections team, found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/130524800784552/?ref=bookmarks  (You may also contact Lukas, although he is only growing one plant this season). There are many in the group that save seeds, but they run out quickly each year.

If you are a seller, you may request a permit to sell seeds, but understand that Lukas has already dispersed over 19,000 portions in 5 years at no charge. The group members also save and share seeds at no charge or for swapping, which the Open Source listing allows. For these reasons, it may be hard to sell them for profit.

For more information on the Microberry Project developed by Lukas Wallmann please visit his website/blog: https://openbreeding.wordpress.com/microberry/