A Pacific Northwest Extension Publication Oregon State University • University of Idaho • Washington State University PNW 655 • February 2014 Raspberry Cultivars for the Pacific Northwest Chad E. Finn, Bernadine C. Strik, and Patrick P. Moore ‘Meeker’ (floricane-fruiting) here are two main types of raspberries: red and black. Yellow-fruited raspberries result from a Raspberry Canes Tmutation of red raspberries that prevents the formation of red color; they are grown exactly the Although raspberry plants live many years, same as red raspberries. Purple raspberries, a third their canes are biennial, meaning they live type, are a hybrid between black and red raspberries. 2 years. This publication briefly describes each type of Primocanes: First year of growth. Only raspberry. Tables 1–4 list cultivars in approximate fall-bearing raspberries produce a signifi- order of ripening within each type. cant amount of fruit on primocanes in the late summer and fall. Hybrids between blackberry and red raspberry include ‘Logan’, ‘Boysen’, and ‘Tayberry’. These Floricanes: Second year of growth. Both fruits are blackberries and are included in the OSU summer-bearing and fall-bearing raspber- Extension publication Blackberry Cultivars for ries produce fruit on floricanes. Fruit is Oregon (EC 1617). In blackberries, the core is part of borne on branches called fruiting laterals. the fruit; in raspberries, the core remains attached to After fruiting, floricanes die. the plant when the fruit is picked. Chad E. Finn, berry crops geneticist, USDA-ARS, Horticultural Crops Research Unit, Corvallis, Oregon; Bernadine C. Strik, Extension berry crops professor, Oregon State University; and Patrick P. Moore, scientist, Washington State University. All photos by Bernadine C. Strik, © Oregon State University, unless otherwise noted. ‘Vintage’ (primocane-fruiting) ‘Munger’ (black) them for the second year, however, they will produce a crop on the floricanes the next summer. Because primocane-fruiting types can be double cropped, they sometimes are called everbearing raspberries. Red raspberry cultivars are listed in Tables 1 and 2. Black Raspberries Black raspberries (Rubus occidentalis), sometimes called blackcaps, are native from the Northeast to the ‘Willamette’ (floricane-fruiting) Great Plains. The native western black raspberry is R. leucodermis. Black raspberries produce canes only from Red Raspberries the crown, not from the roots. Tip primocanes in Red raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are native to summer to encourage branching. These canes pro- northern North America and Eurasia. Cultivated red duce fruit the following year. raspberries were introduced into the United States as In the early 1900s, there were dozens of black long ago as 1771. raspberry cultivars, and new cultivars were released Red raspberries produce new canes from buds on until about the 1960s. Until recently, there has been roots and from the crown. In the first year, canes are little breeding work on black raspberries, and only a called primocanes. In the second year, they are called handful of cultivars are now commonly available. In floricanes. Canes are pruned out after their second the Northwest, nearly the entire commercial crop is year. Both primocanes and floricanes are present ‘Munger’, a cultivar released in 1890. Black raspberry during the growing season. cultivars are listed in Table 3. There are two types of red raspberries. In flori- cane-fruiting (summer-bearing) cultivars, the Purple Raspberries second-year floricanes bear a crop in early summer Purple raspberries are a hybrid between black and the first-year primocanes are vegetative only. and red raspberries. They tend to be vigorous, Primocane-fruiting (fall-bearing) cultivars pro- crown-forming plants with large, soft fruit. Purple duce a significant amount of fruit at the top of the raspberries are generally considered to have only primocanes in the fall. The easiest way to manage pri- fair quality for fresh use, but they are excellent for mocane-fruiting raspberries is to cut the primocanes processing. Purple raspberry cultivars are listed in to the ground each winter after fruiting. If you keep Table 4. 2 Cultivar Table Notes Use Tables 1–4 list floricane-fruiting and primo- Most berries sold in the fresh market are hand cane-fruiting raspberries, black raspberries, and harvested, firm, and bright red. They have a shelf purple raspberries. The descriptions are intended life of several days if properly handled and refrig- to serve only as a guide in choosing a cultivar that’s erated. Berries grown for processing are machine appropriate for your needs. Performance often harvested and have intense red color and flavor. varies with location. Machine Harvest Not all of the listed cultivars are available in Cultivars adapted to machine harvest have nurseries; however, these are included in the tables good plant architecture, easy fruit release from the because plants are long lived, and established receptacle when the berry is ripe, and fruit that is plantings of older cultivars still exist. firm enough for individually quick frozen (IQF) Disease Issues markets. Machine-harvested fruit will not store for more than a few hours after harvest. Most raspberry cultivars are sensitive to Phytophthora root rot; this disease is a much Commercial Production greater problem in Oregon and southern A commercial value score is provided to help Washington than in northern Washington and commercial growers select appropriate cultivars for British Columbia. Grow raspberries on very well- fresh and processed markets: drained soils and on raised beds or ridges (about 12 to 18 inches high) to promote drainage. 1 = Appropriate for most commercial operations Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) is a pol- 2 = May have commercial value but: len-borne virus (carried by bees); the primary (a) not enough is known about its performance symptom is crumbly fruit. Usually a raspberry or plant infected with RBDV looks normal and is (b) may meet a specific requirement neither bushy nor dwarf. There are no control (e.g., unique color or very early harvest) but measures for this virus other than to replant with has a negative trait (e.g., low yield or poor virus-free stock and choose resistant cultivars. In shipping quality) Tables 1 and 2, assume cultivars are susceptible to 3 = Unlikely to have good commercial value RBDV unless otherwise noted. Small Farm, U-Pick, and Home Fruit Descriptions and Yield Gardens Descriptions of yield and berry size are Cultivars that are well suited to small farms, primarily based on results of trials by the USDA- local sales, U-pick farms, and home gardens are ARS/OSU cooperative breeding program at the noted as such. However, we advise home gardeners OSU North Willamette Research and Extension not to grow cultivars that are susceptible to root Center in Aurora, Oregon, and the Washington rot west of the Cascades, except where there is very State University breeding program in Puyallup, good drainage. Washington. If a cultivar has not been tested at these sites, yield and berry descriptions are based Cold Hardiness on grower experience. Yield ratings are based on Cold hardiness is indicated if information is comparison to other cultivars of the same type. available. Grow only cold-hardy cultivars east of Red raspberries are generally more productive the Cascades. Primocane-fruiting raspberries can than black raspberries. be grown in most cold regions if only a primocane, and not the floricane, crop is produced. Many cul- tivars from eastern U.S. nurseries might be well adapted to eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Idaho. 3 4 Table 1. Floricane-fruiting (summer-bearing) cultivars: Red-fruited unless otherwise noted Floricane-fruiting raspberries can be grown for fresh or processed markets. Cultivars are listed in approximate order of ripening. The harvest season of Meeker starts about June 20 in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and about July 4 in Puyallup and Lynden, Washington. Cultivars are susceptible to Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) unless otherwise noted. Machine Large-scale Small farm or Cold Cultivar Disease issues Plant Fruit Yield Use harvest commercial value home garden hardy Prelude Resistant to Moderate Small size, soft, dull, Low to Fresh 3 √ √ (U.S. Plant root rot vigor medium red, good flavor, medium Patent 11,747) very early floricane crop, also produces small primocane crop Cascade Some tolerance Vigorous Medium to large size, Medium Fresh 2 √ Dawn to root rot, medium firmness, (nursery plants (U.S. Plant immune to RBDV attractive, bright dark red, may not be Patent 17,985) very good flavor, difficult available) fruit release unless fully ripe Malahat Very susceptible Vigorous Medium to large size, Low to Fresh 2 to root rot medium firmness, medium (high quality, attractive, bright red, very low yield) good flavor Willamette Susceptible to Vigorous Medium size, soft, dark red, Medium Processed √ 1 √ root rot, immune very good flavor to RBDV Rudi Moderately Medium Medium to large size, High Fresh and √ 2 √ susceptible to vigor medium to dark red, processed (too new to root rot good flavor fully evaluate but expected to be fine) Chilcotin Susceptible to Vigorous Medium size, medium Medium Fresh 2 √ root rot, immune firmness, attractive, bright to RBDV light red, good flavor Boyne Tolerant to root Vigorous Medium size, soft, dark red, Medium Fresh 3 √ √ rot, immune good flavor to RBDV Canby Susceptible to Very Medium size, medium Low to Fresh 3 √ √ root rot vigorous firmness, attractive, bright