Raspberry variety description
Learn details about different raspberry varieties.
Summer bearing red raspberries
Prelude
- Origin
- New York, 1998 (NY817 x Hilton)
- Season
- Very early. Produces a small late second crop on primocanes.
- Size
- Medium
- Canes
- Vigourous canes with sparse but noticeable spines.
- Fruit quality
- Moderate firmness, mild flavour, round berries, medium to dark colour.
- Pest problems
- Not known for being especially resistant or susceptible to major pests.
- Strengths
- Earliness. Four to five days ahead of Boyne.
- Weakness
- Somewhat soft with mild flavour.
- Recommended
- For trial.
Boyne
- Origin
- Manitoba, 1960 (Chief x Indian Summer)
- Season
- Early.
- Size
- Small-Medium (1.9 g)
- Canes
- Winter hardy (-36°C). Medium to tall canes, which are spiny with many suckers.
- Fruit quality
- Dark, somewhat soft berries with soft skin. Good flavour. Good for freezing.
- Pest problems
- Resistant to yellow rust. Tolerant of crown gall. Very susceptible to anthracnose. Susceptible to fire blight.
- Strengths
- Very productive. Good flavour. Winter hardy.
- Weakness
- Small, dark.
- Recommended
- For general planting in Ontario, especially colder regions.
Reveille
- Origin
- Maryland, 1966 ((Indian Summer x Sunrise) x September)
- Season
- Early. Similar season to Boyne.
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Vigorous, upright canes which sucker freely.
- Fruit quality
- Large, bright red berries, elongated cup shape, firm.
- Pest problems
- Not known for being especially resistant or susceptible to major pests.
- Strengths
- Productive and winter hardy. Larger fruit than Boyne.
- Weakness
- Fruit somewhat soft.
- Recommended
- PYO and roadside markets.
Nova
- Origin
- Nova Scotia, 1981 (Southland x Boyne)
- Season
- Early (0.5 days after Boyne)
- Size
- Medium (2.7 g)
- Canes
- Hardy, medium-tall canes. Few spines. Produces summer crop and small fall crop in Ontario.
- Fruit quality
- Firm, shiny, dark red fruit. Uniform shape.
- Pest problems
- Apparently resistant to some cane diseases but susceptible to cane Botrytis. Resistant to late yellow rust.
- Strengths
- Good quality fruit.
- Weakness
- Flavour somewhat tart. Susceptible to winter injury in Eastern Ontario.
- Recommended
- Recommended for limited planting in Ontario.
Killarney
- Origin
- Manitoba, 1961 (Chief x Indian Summer)
- Season
- Mid (3 days after Boyne)
- Size
- Medium (2.6 g)
- Canes
- Canes are short to medium. Hardy, spiny, lots of suckers.
- Fruit quality
- Bright, light, shiny red berries. Good flavour.
- Pest problems
- Susceptible to anthracnose and mildew.
- Strengths
- Productive. Supposedly winter hardy.
- Weakness
- Similar to Boyne except better fruit quality.
- Recommended
- Recommended for limited/regional planting.
Titan
- Origin
- N.Y., 1985 ((Hilton x (Newburgh x September))
- Season
- Mid-late (6 days after Boyne)
- Size
- Large (3.4 g)
- Canes
- Large canes with long laterals. Suckers from crown. (Slow to spread.)
- Fruit quality
- Large firm dull red fruit, with mild flavour.
- Pest problems
- Resistant to raspberry aphid which spreads virus. Very susceptible to Phytophthora root rot.
- Strengths
- Large fruit.
- Weakness
- Fruit "settle" or collapse in containers. Susceptible to root disease.
- Recommended
- Recommended for limited planting in southern Ontario using plants from tissue-cultured stock.
K81-6
- Origin
- Nova Scotia ((0.67-245-01 x (Creston x Willamette))
- Season
- Late
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Tall canes with some spines. Winter hardy in many areas.
- Fruit quality
- Medium-red. Medium firm fruit. Conic shape with large cavity.
- Pest problems
- Susceptible to leaf curl, virus and very susceptible to fire blight.
- Strengths
- Large fruit.
- Weakness
- Fire blight problems. Not hardy in Northern Ontario. Fruit "settle" or collapse in containers.
- Recommended
- No longer recommended in Ontario because of fire blight problems.
Glen ample
- Origin
- SCRI, Scotland 1998 (complex parentage including Glen Prosen and Meeker)
- Season
- Late
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Upright, vigourous, spine free.
- Fruit quality
- Large firm, fleshy fruit, red colour, dull.
- Pest problems
- Resistant to raspberry aphid, a virus vector, however, susceptible virus.
- Strengths
- Fruit is large, and fleshy.
- Weakness
- Fruit is dull coloured and may become less cohesive in cold weather.
- Recommended
- Recommended for trial in small quantities. Winter hardiness unknown.
Encore (NY7)
- Origin
- New York, 1998 (Canby x Cherokee)
- Season
- Late season.
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Vigourous, nearly spineless canes, with good winter hardiness in New York and Nova Scotia.
- Fruit quality
- Firm fruit with good flavour.
- Pest problems
- No outstanding resistance or susceptibility to pests noted so far.
- Strengths
- Late season, extending into Autumn Britten. Improved quality compared to Titan. Susceptible to fire blight.
- Weakness
- Susceptible to white drupelet disorder.
- Recommended
- Recommended for trial in Ontario.
Tulameen
- Origin
- B.C., 1990 (Nootka x Glen Prosen)
- Season
- Very late.
- Size
- Large.
- Canes
- Open growth habit. Willowy twisting canes.
- Fruit quality
- Large, glossy medium-red fruit. Thick flesh.
- Pest problems
- Relatively susceptible to Botrytis fruit rot and spur blight. Resistant to mosaic virus aphid vector.
- Strengths
- Excellent fruit quality. Long fruiting season.
- Weakness
- Very susceptible to winter injury in Ontario.
- Recommended
- Recommended for trial in Southwestern Ontario.
Black and purple raspberries
Jewel
- Origin
- New York, 1973 (Bristol x Dundee)
- Season
- Early. Several days ahead of Boyne.
- Size
- Medium. Larger than Bristol.
- Canes
- Vigorous. Hardiest of black raspberries.
- Fruit quality
- Excellent.
- Pest problems
- Susceptible to Botrytis fruit rot and anthracnose cane disease. More susceptible to verticillium and virus diseases than reds.
- Strengths
- Hardiest, largest black raspberry.
- Weakness
- Less winter hardy than red raspberries.
- Recommended
- Trial planting in Ontario.
Royalty
- Origin
- New York, 1982 ((Cumberland x Newburgh) x (Newburgh x Indian Summer))
- Season
- Late (11 days after Boyne).
- Size
- Large (3.2 g)
- Canes
- Very vigorous. Spiny tall canes. Suckers from roots.
- Fruit quality
- Dull purple. Sweet, cone shaped.
- Pest problems
- Susceptible to crown gall. Resistant to raspberry aphid.
- Strengths
- Great for freezing, pies, jam.
- Weakness
- Susceptible to winter injury. Soft for shipping.
- Recommended
- Recommended for trial in Ontario.
Fall bearing raspberries
Autumn bliss
- Origin
- England, 1984 (complex parentage)
- Season
- Early, approximately 10 days earlier than Heritage.
- Size
- Large (2.7 g)
- Canes
- Sparse canes, medium height. Few spines.
- Fruit quality
- Large, flavourful fruit with large druplets.
- Pest problems
- Susceptible to raspberry bushy dwarf virus but resistant to raspberry mosaic virus.
- Strengths
- Earlier than Heritage
- Weakness
- Somewhat soft. May be crumbly and dark.
- Recommended
- Not recommended.
Autumn britten
- Origin
- England, 1995 (sibling of Autumn Bliss)
- Season
- Early, approximately 10 days earlier than Heritage
- Size
- Large (2.3 g)
- Canes
- Sparse cane producer.
- Fruit quality
- More regular in shape and less crumbly than Autumn Bliss.
- Pest problems
- Susceptible to raspberry bushy dwarf virus but resistant to raspberry mosaic virus.
- Strengths
- Excellent fruit quality. Earlier than Heritage.
- Weakness
- Lower yields than Autumn Bliss. Requires planting at closer spacing.
- Recommended
- Recommended for limited/regional planting in Ontario.
Polana
- Origin
- Poland, 1991 (Heritage x Zeva Herbsternte)
- Season
- Approximately 2 weeks earlier than Heritage and slightly ahead of Autumn Britten.
- Size
- Medium
- Canes
- Shorter canes than Heritage. Vigorous.
- Fruit quality
- Large, glossy, cohesive berry with good flavour.
- Pest problems
- Low to medium susceptibility to pests and diseases.
- Strengths
- Early, fall bearing. High yields because buds produce 2 fruiting laterals each. Good fruit quality.
- Weakness
- Berries may split into doubles.
- Recommended
- Recommended for limited/regional planting in Ontario.
Heritage
- Origin
- New York, 1969 ((Milton x Cuthbert) x Durham))
- Season
- Late (early-mid September)
- Size
- Medium (1.8–2.2 g)
- Canes
- Tall rugged thorny canes. High yielding.
- Fruit quality
- Attractive fruit.
- Pest problems
- >Some tolerance to raspberry bushy dwarf virus and raspberry mosaic virus. Resistant to many pest problems.
- Strengths
- Good quality fruit, with high yields.
- Weakness
- Yields too late where frost occurs in September.
- Recommended
- Recommended for limited/regional planting in southwestern regions.
Caroline
- Origin
- USDA Maryland, 1999 ((A. Bliss x Glen Moy) x Heritage))
- Season
- Late (approx 1 week earlier than Heritage)
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Vigourous canes may be variable in height. Short laterals.
- Fruit quality
- High quality, dark red conical fruit with good flavour.
- Pest problems
- Susceptible to late leaf rust.
- Strengths
- Excellent yield potential, berry size and fruit quality.
- Weakness
- Yields approximately 1 week earlier than Heritage but too late most regions in Ontario.
- Recommended
- Recommended for trial in southwestern regions.
Jaclyn
- Origin
- University of Maryland (OBC-fl x Caroline)
- Season
- Early
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Vigourous, erect.
- Fruit quality
- Firm, dark red, conical.
- Pest problems
- Yellow rust.
- Weakness
- Fruit adheres until fully ripe.
- Recommended
- Not recommended in Ontario.
Joan J
- Origin
- England 1995 (Joan Squire x Terri-Louise)
- Season
- Early
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Numerous, relatively spine free.
- Fruit quality
- Glossy red conical.
- Strengths
- Good quality fruit.
- Recommended
- Recommended for trial.
Josephine
- Origin
- University of Maryland (Amity x Glen Gerry)
- Season
- Late
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Upright, vigourous.
- Fruit quality
- Firm cohesive berries, round conic shape, brighter red than Jaclyn.
- Pest problems
- Resistant to potato leafhopper and Phytophthora root rot, mildew, rust, anthracnose, verticillium.
- Strengths
- Cohesive fruit.
- Weakness
- Too late on most regions of Ontario.
- Recommended
- Recommended for trial in high tunnels.
Polka
- Origin
- Poland (Parents include open pollinated seedlings and Autumn Bliss)
- Season
- Early
- Size
- Medium-Large
- Canes
- Self supporting, semi vigourous.
- Fruit quality
- Excellent fruit quality, consistent druplet size, meaty.
- Pest problems
- High level of tolerance to fruit and cane Botrytis.
- Strengths
- Early ripening, high quality fruit.
Himbo top
- Origin
- Switzerland
- Season
- Late
- Size
- Large
- Canes
- Very vigourous, best with supportive trellis.
- Fruit quality
- Bright red firm fruit, small drupelets, easy to pick.
- Strengths
- Large yields.
- Weakness
- Very vigourous.
Updated: November 06, 2024
Published: July 19, 2022