Raspberry

Rubus idaeus · red raspberry · European red raspberry

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At a Glance

Overview

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) is a deciduous, cane-bearing bramble in the rose family (Rosaceae), widely cultivated across the United Kingdom for its summer and autumn fruits. The species is native to much of Europe and northern Asia, including Britain, and it naturalises in woodland edges, clearings and hedgerows. Commercially and in gardens it is grown for its aggregate fruits, which are eaten fresh, frozen, jammed and baked. Raspberries are closely related to blackberries and other brambles, and they share the same arching, biennial-cane growth habit.

Two main fruiting types are recognised: summer-fruiting raspberries, which crop on the previous year's canes (floricanes), and autumn-fruiting (or primocane) raspberries, which crop on the current season's growth. The distinction is horticulturally important because it determines when the canes are pruned. Raspberry plants are usually supplied as bare-root canes in late autumn or as potted plants year-round. In the UK they crop reliably from late June through to the first frosts of October, depending on cultivar and site.

The plants are hardy throughout the British Isles and tolerate a wide range of soils provided drainage is adequate. They are, however, shallow-rooted and benefit from mulching and irrigation in dry summers. Commercial UK production is concentrated in Scotland (particularly Perthshire) and the east of England, but garden-scale cultivation is possible in any region.

Appearance

Raspberry is a suckering shrub producing upright to arching canes that grow from a perennial rootstock. In their first year these canes (primocanes) are vegetative, bearing only leaves; in their second year (as floricanes) they produce lateral fruiting shoots before dying back. The canes are typically 1.2–2 m tall, pale green when young and maturing to a reddish-brown, and they carry fine, weak prickles rather than true thorns.

The leaves are pinnate, usually with three to five (occasionally seven) ovate, toothed leaflets. The upper surface is a soft mid-green and the underside is distinctly paler and often felty white. Leaf colour can be a useful indicator of stress: yellowing between the veins on older leaves often signals iron or magnesium deficiency on alkaline soils.

Flowers are small, five-petalled and white, appearing in clusters on short lateral shoots from late May into June. They are self-fertile and pollinated by bees and other insects. The fruit is an aggregate drupe: a cluster of around 75–125 small drupelets held together around a central hollow receptacle, which lifts cleanly from the plant when ripe. Ripe raspberries are typically red, though yellow-fruited and black-fruited forms exist. The flavour ranges from sweet and aromatic in modern dessert cultivars to sharper and more intense in traditional and wild types.

Growing Conditions

Raspberries succeed throughout the UK and tolerate a wide range of conditions, but they perform best in a sheltered, sunny site with a fertile, moisture-retentive but free-draining soil. The ideal pH is slightly acidic to neutral, roughly 5.5–6.8, although many gardens will grow acceptable crops outside this range. On very chalky or alkaline soils, manganese and iron deficiencies are common and may need correcting with sequestered iron or a foliar feed.

The plants dislike waterlogged ground in winter, which rots the roots, and they also struggle in dry, sandy soils unless heavily mulched and irrigated. Where summers are reliably dry, a thick organic mulch applied in spring conserves moisture and keeps the root run cool. Cold is rarely a problem: RHS H6 indicates hardiness to around −20 °C, sufficient for all but the most exposed Scottish or Pennine sites. Strong, desiccating winds damage the canes and shred the leaves, so a position sheltered from the north and east is preferable.

Good light is essential for ripening and for the development of sugars and aroma. Raspberries will tolerate light, dappled shade, particularly in the south of England, but yields and flavour are noticeably better in full sun. Against a south- or west-facing wall, autumn-fruiting cultivars can extend their cropping well into October.

Planting and Care

Planting. Bare-root canes are planted from November to March while dormant, in rows spaced about 1.8 m apart with 50–60 cm between plants. Container-grown stock can be planted at any time of year provided the ground is workable and the plants are kept watered. Before planting, the soil should be cleared of perennial weeds, especially couch grass and bindweed, which are very difficult to remove once the raspberry bed is established. Incorporating well-rotted manure or garden compost into the top 20–30 cm improves structure and water retention. A sturdy post-and-wire support system, with wires at roughly 60 cm and 1.2 m, is essential for summer-fruiting types and beneficial for autumn-fruiting ones.

Watering. Raspberries are shallow-rooted and demand steady moisture, especially from flowering through to the end of fruiting. Drought stress at this stage produces small, crumbly fruits. Water deeply once or twice a week in dry spells rather than sprinkling daily, and direct water to the base of the canes rather than over the foliage.

Feeding. A general-purpose fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone, or a controlled-release tomato feed, applied in early spring, supports cane growth. A high-potash feed (such as sulphate of potash or a liquid tomato fertiliser) from early summer onwards helps fruiting. On alkaline soils, a chelated iron or seaweed-based tonic in spring addresses the chlorosis that raspberries commonly show.

Pruning. Summer-fruiting raspberries fruit on canes grown the previous year. After fruiting, the old floricanes are cut down to ground level and the new canes (this season's growth) are tied in to replace them, thinned to roughly six to eight strong canes per metre of row. Autumn-fruiting raspberries fruit on the current season's canes; in late winter (February) all canes are cut to within a few centimetres of the ground. A compromise "double-cropping" system is sometimes used on autumn types, leaving the lower part of a few canes to crop early the following summer.

Propagation. Raspberries propagate themselves naturally by suckers, and these can be lifted in autumn with a section of root and replanted. New plants can also be raised from root cuttings taken in winter, or by tip-layering long canes in summer. Virus-free certified stock is widely available and is strongly recommended, as raspberry viruses reduce vigour and fruit quality over time.

Seasonal care. In February, cut autumn-fruiting canes to the ground and tidy summer-fruiting rows. In March–April, mulch thickly with organic matter, top-dress with fertiliser and check ties on posts and wires. During summer, water in dry weather, net the plants against birds if necessary, and pick fruit every two to three days. In November, after leaf fall, summer-fruiting canes can be thinned and tied in for winter.

Common Problems

Raspberry cane blight (caused by the fungus Paraconiothyrium / Leptosphaeria coniothyrium) is one of the most damaging UK diseases. Canes develop dark patches at wound or leaf-scar sites, wilt, and may snap. Affected canes should be cut well below the visible lesion and destroyed; improving airflow and avoiding wounding the canes reduces risk. Spur blight (Sphaerulina rubi) causes purple blotches around the bud positions in autumn and weak fruiting later; it is controlled similarly by thinning canes and removing old fruiting laterals.

Raspberry aphids, particularly the large raspberry aphid (Amphorophora idaei), feed on young growth and transmit several virus diseases. Where viruses have been a problem, virus-resistant cultivars are now available. Spur damage from the raspberry cane midge creates entry points for cane blight, so midge control (removing affected canes, encouraging predators) indirectly reduces blight.

Birds, especially blackbirds and starlings, will strip a raspberry bed within days of the fruit turning pink. Netting the whole row, weighted at the base, is the most reliable protection. Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) is the principal fruit-rotting disease in damp summers, encouraged by dense foliage and bruised fruit. Thinning canes, picking regularly and avoiding overhead watering all help. Phytophthora root rot occurs on heavy or waterlogged soils; the only practical remedy is to replant on a better-drained site using certified stock.

Raspberries are not known to be toxic to humans, and the fruits are widely eaten. As with all cane fruits, the small pips inside the drupelets can occasionally irritate a diverticular condition, but this is not an allergy. Some people experience contact irritation from handling prickly canes, particularly the more spiny wild-type plants.

Popular Varieties

'Glen Ample' is a widely planted mid-season Scottish floricane variety with large, firm, pale red fruits and good disease resistance. It is one of the most reliable commercial and garden choices for the UK.

'Malling Jewel' is a traditional early-to-mid-season floricane variety, valued for its rich, aromatic flavour rather than the heaviest yields. It is well suited to cooler, wetter regions.

'Autumn Bliss' is a compact primocane variety cropping from late July into October, with medium-sized, well-flavoured fruits. It is widely recommended for small gardens because the fruit is borne low on short canes and the simple February prune suits beginners.

'Polka' is a modern primocane variety bred in Poland, prized for very large, sweet fruits and a long autumn cropping season. It performs well in most UK regions, including northern England and Scotland.

'Tulameen' (sometimes sold as a long-cane plant) is a Canadian-bred floricane variety with exceptionally large, glossy, sweet fruits over a long summer picking window; it is popular at pick-your-own farms.

'Heritage' is an American primocane variety that has become a UK favourite for its consistent autumn crop, although in northern districts it may need the protection of a south-facing wall to ripen fully. (Its UK performance in the very north of Scotland is less well documented; gardeners in those areas may prefer 'Polka' or 'Autumn Bliss' for reliability.)

Pests and Diseases

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Raspberry in our guides

• How to Grow Raspberries: Planting, Pruning and Picking
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• Gardening Jobs for October in the UK
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