Lorenzo Blogs

Raspberries and Blackberries

Rubus

Most prefer full sun to partial shade ( unless otherwise stated ) on moist, fertile, acidic to neutral, well drained soil.
Many Raspberries are great eaten fresh and can also be made into a drink as well as a syrup made from boiling the fruits with honey and water. The fruits of all members of the Rubus genus are edible.
Most Rubus are most vigorous when cut or mowed to the ground every 5 years for renovation ( will loose a seasons worth of fruit however )
PROPAGAION:
All: Seed sown in spring. However Rubus hybridize freely and cultivars will not come true from seed. Divided suckers during mid to late autumn or early spring will also work.

Evergreen Species: hald-hardened cuttings.

Deciduous Species: hardwood or softwood cuttings ( approx 4 inch lengths ), layering will also work.

* photo of unknown internet source


Rubus allegheniensis ( Allegheny Blackberry )
An arching deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum height of 10 feet, that is native to eastern North America, from Minnsota to Quebec to Nova Scotia; south to Missouri to Tennessee to Virginia.
The palmate leaves are composed of 3 to 5, double-toothed leaflets, up to 9 inches in length. The foliage is luxuriant mid-green above, furry beneath.
The white, 5-petalled flowers, borne in long racemes during early summer.
They are followed by edible black elongated berries.
The stems are armed with hooked prickles.
Hardy zones 3 to 7

* photo taken by Barry C. Park @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Rubus amabilis
A deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum height of 10 feet, that is native to western China.
The pinnate leaves, up to 8 inches in length, are composed of up to 11 toothed, oval leaflets, up to 2 x 1 inches.
The solitary, white flowers, up to 2 inches across, are borne during summer.
They are followed by conical red fruits.
The stems are armed with small bristles.
Hardy zones 6 to 9

Rubus argutus ( Sawtooth Blackberry )

A deciduous shrub that is native from eastern Oklahoma to northern Illinois to Ohio to Massachusetts; south to eastern Texas to central Florida.
The leaves are composed of 3 to 5 toothed leaflets.
The flowers are white.

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Rubus biflorus ( Ghost Bramble )
An erect, deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 13 feet, that is native from the Himalayas to China.
The pinnate leaves, up to 10 inches in length, are composed of 3 to 7 leaflets, up to 4 inches in length. The foliage is deep green above, white downy beneath.
The large, pure white flowers, borne in a small clusters or singly during late spring to early summer.
They are followed by yellow edible fruits.
The showy white stems are prickly.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on fertile, well drained soil.
Propagation is from layering or division during spring.

Rubus BLACKBERRY HYBRIDS
Generally requires similar care to that of Raspberries. They are not really fussy, usually happy with any site that is full sun on fertile, well drained soil. Old canes should be cut to 6 inches from ground during very early spring.

Arapaho
thornless canes reach up to 8 feet in height. The sturdy, upright canes are self-supporting and do not need trellising.
Considered to be Early Season, the large, shiny fruits ripen about 10 to 12 days earlier than Navaho.
hardy zones 5 to 8.

Chester
The thornless canes produce very abundant, late-season berries that are long-lasting and very tasty.
Hardy zones 4 to 8.

Kiowa
Thorny upright canes which are preferrably trellisted.
It produces the largest fruit of any Blackberry, up to 10 times larger than ones on wild plants. It often produces their trademark juicy, tasty fruits for up to 1.5 months.

Navaho
Thornless, upright canes reach up to 8 feet in height. The canes should be topped at about 5 feet twice during each growing season.
The attractive white flowers are fragrant.
The abundant, mid-season, tasty, high quality, glossy black fruits ripen over a 1.5 month period. They are great for preserving and freezing. Navaho is self-fertile.
Hardy zones 5 to 8.

Triple Crown
Very vigorous but the stems are not very sturdy so trellising it required.
Considered to be Mid-Season, it produces large, tasty, glossy black fruits. It is self pollinating.
Hardy zones 4 to 8.

Rubus caesius ( European Dewberry )
A perennial, creeping, groundcover shrubby perennial, reaching a maximum size of 4 inches x 12 feet, that is native to northern Eurasia.
The aromatic, trifoliate leaves, up to 3 inches in length, are composed of 3 toothed and 2 - 3 lobed leaflets. The luxuriant mid-green foliage is somewhat downy.
The white flowers are somewhat large. They are followed by edible black fruits.
Hardy zones 5 to 9. Tolerant of alkaline soil.

* photo taken by Doug Goldman @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Rubus calycinoides
Also called Rubus pentalobus. An excellent fast growing, evergreen groundcover, reaching up to 1 x 7 + feet in size, that is native to Taiwan. Very fast spreading, as much as 3 feet per year has been recorded. The stems self layer or root as they touch the ground. It can be used over large area as a lawn substitute.
The wrinkled, 3 to 5 lobed, scalloped leaves, up to 1.5 inches, are deep green and rough above, woolly beneath. The foliage turns very attractive red during autumn.
The solitary white flowers are borne during late spring into summer.
They are followed by tasty but small, rounded, orangish-yellow to red fruits.
The stems have a few curved small prickles.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in partial shade on just about any fertile, well drained soil. Moderately drought tolerant.


* photos taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.




Emerald Carpet
Similar to species, forming a fast spreading green carpet, up to 5 feet across in just 3 years, eventually more.

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on Aug 25 2013 @ University of Maryland, College Park


Roribaccus
Vigorous with showy blooms and larger than average fruit.

Rubus canadensis ( American Dewberry )
An erect, deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum height of 13 feet, that is native to North America.
The leaves are composed of 3 to 5 sharply-toothed leaflets, up to 6 inches in length.
The white flowers, borne in woolly racemes during summer.
They are followed by edible, rounded, black fruits.
The stems are either smooth or very sparsely prickled.
Hardy zones 3 to 9

Rubus cockburnianus ( White-Washed Bramble )
An upright, vase-shaped, deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 10 ( rarely over 8 ) feet
The leaves, up to 8 inches in length, are composed of up to 9 oval leaflets, up to 2.5 inches in length.
The foliage is deep green above, furry white beneath.
The pale purple, saucer-shaped flowers, up to 0.7 inches wide, are borne on racemes during early summer.
They are followed by black berries that are unfortunately not very tasty.
The bloomy white stems are prickly.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 ( tolerating -20 F ) in partial shade.

Golden Vale
Similar with golden-yellow foliage. Looks great with Black Mondo Grass planted underneath.


* photos taken on March 28 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photo taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


Rubus crataegifolius ( Korean Raspberry )
A shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 5 feet, that is native to China and Korea.
The stems are biennial, fruiting in the second year, then dying to be replaced by new stems.
The leaves, up to 12 inches across, are 3 to 5-lobed and shaped like that of the Physocarpus - Ninebark. The attractive foliage turns to deep red during autumn.
The flowers are small and white.
They are followed by juicy, large, scarlet-red fruits.
Hardy zones 5 to 9
It is very resistant to pests and diseases and has been hybridized with Rubus idaeus to produce many of our commercial Raspberries.

Rubus deliciosus ( Rocky Mountain Raspberry )
An arching deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 10 feet, that is native to the Rocky Mountains in the U.S.
The 3 to 5-lobed, rounded to kidney-shaped leaves, up to 3 inches in length, are bright green above, white sparsely-hairy beneath.
The white flowers, up to 2 inches across, are borne solitarily during late spring.
They are followed by purple fruits.
The stems are not armed with prickles.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

Rubus discolor ( Himalayan Blackberry )
A potential noxious weed, growing like Kudsu all over the Pacific Northwest.
It does however bear very dark, medium-sized berries.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

Lochness
Spineless.

Rubus henryi
A scrambling to semi-climbing, evergreen shrub, reaching around 10 feet, that is native to western and central China. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 12 feet; largest on record - 20 x 20 feet ( with support ).
The toothed, 3-lobed leaves, up to 6 inches in length, are white hairy beneath.
The flowers, up to 0.7 inches in width, are borne in racemes of 6 to 10 during early summer. They are followed by glossy, black berries, up to 0.3 inches across.
The downy stems are only sparsely prickled.
Hardy zones 4 to 9

Bambusarum
Leaves composed of narrow lance-shaped leaflets. The stems are prickly.

Rubus idaeus ( European Red Raspberry )
An erect to arching deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum size of x feet, that is native to northern Eurasia.
The pinnate leaves are composed of up to 7 toothed to lobed, oblong leaflets, up to 6 inches in length. The foliage is luxuriant mid-green.
The white flowers, borne in axilliary and terminal racemes during late spring into summer. The flowers attract hummingbirds. They are followed by tasty, edible, red drupes during autumn. Plants will bear fruit lightly during the second season and bear full crops during the third season.
The stems are bristly and prickly.
Hardy zones 3 to 9 in full sun.

* photo of unknown internet source


* photo taken on Sep 3 2012 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on Aug 4 2013 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photo taken by Sheri Hagwood @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photo taken by Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA NRCS. 1995. Northeast wetland flora


Amity
Bears large deep red berries during June and again from late August to autumn frost.

Anne
Reaches up to 6 x 6 feet, with soft, sweet-tasting, yellow berries that are late ripening. The fruits are too soft to ship so they are not seen in grocery stores.
Hardy zones 4 to 8. Unlike many other cultivars, this one is very easy to prune - cut the entire plant to ground during early winter. It will resprout rapidly during spring and fruit the same season.

Aureus
Yellow fruit on a low growing shrub.

Boyne
Vigorous, thornless, erect and sturdy ( trellising not needed ) in habit, reaching up to 5 feet in height.
The juicy, deep-red, medium-sized berries are tasty and great for freezing.
A very productive, extremely hardy form ( zone 3 to 7 ) originating in Manitoba. It is highly disease resistant.

Caroline
Reaches up to 6 x 6 feet. The abundant, sweet-tasting berries are borne mid season.
The berries are great fresh, made into jam or frozen for later use.
Hardy zones 4 to 8. Unlike many other cultivars, this one is very easy to prune - cut the entire plant to ground during early winter. It will resprout rapidly during spring and fruit the same season.

Fallgold
Large yellow fruits borne over a long season during summer. Excellent eaten fresh.

Goldie
An everbearer with great quality fruits that turn ripen to orangish-yellow ( sometimes reddish-orange when over-ripe ).
Hardy zones 5 to 7 and is very hardy.

Glen Moy
Red fruits during summer.

Heritage
An everbearer, sturdy and upright, reaching up to 6 x 6 feet, bearing crops late season into early autumn.
The very abundant, large, sweet-tasting berries. This variety is self fertile, thus not requiring a pollinator. They are great fresh, made into jam as well as frozen for later use. "Heritage is among the most commonly planted Raspberries.
Hardy zones 4 to 8, thriving over a wide swath of North America. It is very tough and resistant to root rot.
Unlike many other cultivars, this one is very easy to prune - cut the entire plant to ground during early winter. It will resprout rapidly during spring and fruit the same season.

Himbo Top
Reaches up to 6 x 6 feet and is highly productive. The tasty, large berries are great fresh and are easy to freeze. They are also easy to pick - easily pulling off the bush.
Hardy zones 4 to 8. Unlike many other cultivars, this one is very easy to prune - cut the entire plant to ground during early winter. It will resprout rapidly during spring and fruit the same season.

Jewel
Thorned but produces abundant, great quality, tasty, large, glossy black berries.
Hardy zones 4 to 8, it is very tough and resists most diseases which affect other Black Raspberries.

Killarney
Sturdy and upright ( trellising not needed ), with very attractive foliage and very abundant, tasty, large, red fruits. It is self fertile, thus needing no other Raspberry plants nearby in order to get fruit.
Hardy zones 4 to 7.

Latham
Thornless and vigorous, bearing late spring berries that are of great quality and very tasty.
Hardy zones 3 to 8, it is very disease resistant.

Royalty
Very abundant, sweet-tasting, large fruits that ripen to deep red then finally purple.
Hardy zones 4 to 7 and is very hardy.

Rubus illecebrosus
A creeping, shrubby perennial, reaching a maximum size of 3 x 3 feet, that is native to Japan.
The pinnate leaves are composed of 5 to 7 toothed, lance-shaped leaflets, up to 3 x 1 inches. The foliage is downy beneath.
The white flowers, up to 2 inches across, borne in clusters of 1 to 3 during early summer. They are followed by red, rounded fruits, up to 1.3 inches across.
The very prickly stems are sharply-angled.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

Rubus lineatus
An evergreen shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 6 feet, that is native from the Himalayas to southwestern China; south to Malaysia and Indonesia. It is among the most beautiful of all Rubus.
The leaves are composed of 3 to 5 deeply-veined, sharply-toothed leaflets, up to 9 inches. The foliage is deep green above, silvery woolly beneath.
The small, white, 5-petalled flowers, are borne in short axilliary clusters.
They are followed by small red to black fruits.
The woolly stems are prickly.
Hardy 8 to 11

Rubus Navajo
A hybrid Blackberry, reaching a maximum size of 6 x 4 feet. It was bred in Arkansas as a heat tolerant agricultural crop for the Deep South.
It bears an excellent tasting, moderately small, black fruit with an excellent shelf life. An acre of Navajo Blackberry can produce up to 8000 pounds of fruit per acre.
The stems are thornless.
Hardy 3 to 8b

Rubus nepalensis
A low, creeping, evergreen shrub, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet, that is native to the western Himalayas.
The leaves are composed of 3 sharply-toothed, diamond-shaped leaflets, up to 2.5 inches in length. The foliage is green above, hairy beneath.
The flowers are white.
The stems are bristly.
Hardy zones 6 to 11

Rubus occidentalis ( Black Raspberry )
A thorny cane shrub that is native to North America ( North Dakota to New Brunswick; south to northeast Oklahoma to northern Georgia ).
The black fruits are very tasty.
Hardy zones 2 to 6. During winter remove old canes that have fruited.

* photo taken by Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Rubus odoratus ( Flowering Raspberry )
A vigorous, erect, arching shrub, reaching a maximum size of 13 x 13 ( rarely over 9 ) feet, that is native to the eastern U.S. from Michigan to Maine, south to Tennessee to North Carolina.
The toothed, 5-lobed leaves up to 14 x 14 inches, are green above, hairy beneath.
The foliage turns to brownish-yellow during autumn.
The fragrant, purplish-pink flowers, up to 2 inches across, borne in summer into autumn.
They are followed by orange-red fruits.
The bark is peeling. The stems are not armed with prickles.
Hardy 2 to 8 in partial to full shade.

* photos taken on Aug 3 2012 in London, Ontario
* photos taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC


Rubus parviflorus ( Thimbleberry )
A rapid growing, robust, upright shrub, reaching a maximum size of 17+ x feet ( rarely over 8 feet in height ), that is native to North America from Alaska to Michigan; south to Mexico.
The toothed, 5-lobed leaves, up to 10 inches, are furry at first. The foliage is luxuriant glossy bright green.
The white flowers, borne in corymbs during summer.
They are followed by red fruits.
The stems have peeling bark and bear no prickles.
Hardy zones 3 to 9. Thrives even in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Requires 45+ inches of yearly rainfall unless irrigated.
* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Rubus phoenicolasius ( Japanese Wineberry )
A fast growing to invasive, spreading deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum size of 13 x 10 feet, that is native to China, Korea and Japan.
The trifoliate leaves are composed of 3 toothed, broadly-oval leaflets, that are mid-green above, white-felted beneath.
The bright pink flowers are borne in terminal racemes during early to mid summer.
They are followed by red fruits, up to 0.7 inches in length, during late summer. The fruits are great for jellies and desserts.
The stems are covered in red bristles with the occasional thorn.
Hardy zones 5 to 9, cut to ground immediately after planting to balance plant and increase vigor. It is very easy to grow and rarely bothered by insect pests or disease.

* photos taken on June 18 2012 in Columbia, MD

Rubus saxitilis
A spreading, mounding, deciduous shrub, reaching up to 20 inches in height.
The trifoliate leaves are composed of toothed leaflets that are downy beneath.
The small white flowers are borne in clusters of 3 to 10.
They are followed by small, glossy red fruits.
Hardy zones 4 to 9.

Rubus spectabilis ( Salmonberry )
An upright deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub native to western North America from Alaska to California.
Some records include: largest on record - 17 x 17 ( averaging less than half that ) feet.
The leaves are composed of 3 leaflets, up to 4 inches in length.
The solitary, fragrant, pink to purple flowers, up to 1.5 inch across, are borne during spring.
They oval fruits, up to 0.8 inches in length, are pale orange.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in full sun to partial shade. Requires 32+ inches of average yearly rainfall. Tolerant of deep shade, sand, clay and flooding.
The stems are covered by tiny thorns.

Golden Ruby
More compact, rarely reaching over 5 x 5 feet, with brilliant golden-yellow foliage.
The deep pink flowers are followed by sweet tasting orange fruit.
Hardy zones 5+

Olympic Double
Spectacular double, red-purple flowers.

Rubus strigosus ( American Raspberry )
Similar to Rubus idaeus but is dense in habit, with bristly stems. Native to North America from Alaska to Newfoundland; south to Arizona, Iowa to Pennsylvania.
Hardy zones 2 to 8

Rubus Tayberry
A shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 6 feet
The large, sweet, red fruits are borne over a long season from mid-summer into early autumn.
Hardy 4 to 9

Rubus thibetanus ( Ghost Bramble )
A thicket-forming shrub, reaching a maximum size of 8 x 15 feet, that is native to western China.
The leaves, up to 9 inches in length, are composed of 7 to 13 ferny, deeply-cut, ovate leaflets, up to 2 inches in length. The foliage is deep green above, white felted beneath.
The small, reddish-purple flowers are borne mid to late summer. They are borne either singly or in small terminal racemes.
They are followed by rounded black fruits.
The white-bloomed stems are prickly.
Hardy zones 6 to 10 in full sun to partial shade on fertile, well drained soil.
Propagation is from layering or division during spring.

Silver Fern
Attractively dissected silver-gray foliage.
The flowers are purple and are followed by red to black fruits.
Silvery-white stems.

Rubus tricolor
An extremely vigorous, low, groundcover shrub, reaching a maximum size of 2 x 15+ feet, that is native to western China. It can spread 3.5+ feet per year in all directions. It is an excellent groundcover for large areas.
The 3-lobed to trifoliate leaves are composed of 3 leaflets, up to 4 inches in length. The foliage is deep green above, white felted beneath.
The white, saucer-shaped flowers are borne singly or in small racemes from the leaf axils during summer.
They are followed by small edible red fruit.
The stems are bristly but do not have thorns.
Hardy zones 7 to 9. Tolerant of deep shade.

Rubus x tridel Benenden
A fast growing, upright to arching, deciduous shrub, reaching a maximum size of 17 x 10 feet, that is the hybrid between Rubus delicious and Mexican Rubus trilobus.
The toothed, 3 to 5 lobed leaves are luxuriant deep green.
The showy, pure white ( with bold golden-yellow stamens ), saucer-shaped flowers, up to 3 inches across, are borne during late spring.
It rarely produces fruit.
The stems are thornless.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun on fertile, well drained soil. Remove overcrowded stems that have lost their vigor immediately after blooming.
Propagated from layering or division during spring.

Rubus Triple Crown Thornless ( Blackberry )
An excellent cultivar specifically bred for fruit production. A single plant may bear up to 30 pounds of the sweet, juicy, large, glossy black berries in a year.
Black Butte
Largest fruit of any Blackberry, up to 2 inches in length.

Rubus ulmifolius ( Bramble )
An arching deciduous ti semi-evergreen shrub, reaching a maximum size of 10 x 10 feet, that is native to western and central Europe.
The leaves are composed of 3 to 5 leaflets, are deep grayish-green above, downy beneath.
The flowers, up to 0.7 inches across, range from white to light pink. They are borne early to mid summer.
They are followed by small, purplish-red fruits.
Hardy 6 to 10. Tolerant of alkaline soil. It is easily propagated from layering during the summer.