I currently have some black raspberries (Rubus occidentalis) and was wondering what everyone’s favorite Rubus species and varieties are. Black raspberries are native in my state, so for the most part I can leave them be, which is great. I got them in spring this year from a plant swap. They are still small so I am hoping they will bush out more next coming spring. Below is a picture of when it produced some small fruits in June. I didn’t get to taste the berries, I’m pretty sure the animals got to them first, but once the bush gets bigger I’ll be sure to post a review!
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Oh, and I forgot to add, summer was really hot and dry this year, so that’s why the leaves look a little crispy. It’s still alive though, so at least I know it can survive a drought!
black raspberry and blackberry are my favorites. I’m basic lol. I got a ponca this year to add to my other ones. I have purple flowring raspberry which is really cool but the fruit is meh at best. But a cool plant none the less. In the ground right now I have:
Jewel & Munger black raspberry
Fall gold and Heritage Red Raspberry
Wild type northern Dewberry
Ponca Blackberry
Purple flowering Raspberry
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Great selection you have there. I really like the look of the Jewel Black Raspberry and the Fall Gold Red Raspberry. How do they taste like? I can’t wait until my black raspberries start producing more.
big fan, I’ve tried to get fall gold to live 5 times (my sister keeps giving me hers for free) and i really like it. this one has finally worked but im not sure why they had such an issue living.
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Black raspberries are by far my favorite, I collect tons from the wild patches around here every year. I just put a few cultivars in my yard this year. There is one massive wild plant behind one of my black currants that produces tons of delicious berries.
I’ve tried a a bunch of different blackberries cultivars and for me in north Georgia “Ponca” and “triple crown” are the best tasting, far above the others.
If i still lived in California I would add western trailing types like Marion, boysen, olllie
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I’m growing Prime Ark Freedom blackberry. it has been very good for me. it is in it’s 3rd season I think and this is the first time it set primocane fruit that are ripening now. The floricane fruit in the spring are large and tasty and not too seedy
I’m not a big fan of raspberries but I have an ohio treasure black raspberry, which is an everbearing type. mine is very neglected.
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I would recommend Joan J for its tendency to bear multiple crops. This is my first year with it and it is potted, but it kept sending up new shoots and fruiting. I picked a few berries just a few days ago. I’m generally getting no fruit this late.
I can’t comment too much on taste. So far I haven’t particularly liked any red raspberries. That said both of my kids absolutely love Joan J.
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Anyone have opinions on the Killarney red raspberry variety?
I planted a few Killarneys several years ago. They replaced some old Tulameen bushes that were probably dying from root rot. I selected Killarney just because it was supposed to be resistant to root rot, and it turned out not to have the best fruit for this area. The berries are pretty small and crumbly when ripe but don’t taste bad. The bushes do seem to be resistant to root rot. The fruit might be better in a different climate.
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I’m a big fan of Triple Crown Blackberry. It’s thornless, very productive and the fruit have great flavor. The berries are large too. There may be other good blackberry varieties, but this one is very dependable. Heritage is the original fall-bearing red raspberry but it is still great, very dependable. And while Fallgold is not the most productive gold raspberry in my experience, it has the finest flavor. It does crumble at harvest sometimes. You just have to eat those and go to the next one.
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Killarney’s OK. Survives with no winter damage in Fairbanks. It’s more vigorous and productive than its sibling, Boyne. But for eating out of hand, the best reds by far are the Finnish “nectar raspberries,” which have arctic raspberry in their lineage: Anelma, Heija, and Heisa. They’re not available in the trade, however. The USDA germplasm repository in Corvallis has them.
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So how does Ponca measure up against Boysen flavor-wise?
Oh those sound really interesting! Thanks for the recommendations. I am hoping to get some more raspberries next year, and perhaps some blackberries too. I know there are also some native dewberries that grow around my area in the wild, I am curious how those taste. If I ever get to them before the critters do, I’ll let everyone know!
Hard to compare because I grew the western types when I lived in California and grow Ponca now in Georgia so I can’t do a side by side comparison. Marionberry seems to give me the fondest memories for flavor
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