Description

Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) is an "easy to grow" edible fruit that is worth growing in Kansas. Store-bought raspberries are expensive and don't taste as good as garden grown fruits. All cultivars of raspberries have perennial roots, but most top shoots only live for two years. (meaning shoots grow in the first growing season and fruits grow on those shoots during the second growing season) The cycle is repeated; maintenance involves removing old canes after decline or death. Raspberries are vigorous and can be locally invasive in the garden but rarely invasive in the wild. They propagate by basal shoots (also known as suckers) spreading some distance from the main plant. After establishment, it is high maintenance if it has already filled the space and you don't want it to spread any further so plan accordingly. In the landscape, raspberry and blackberry mix well into garden designs with ornamental plants as long as you create it's own area (like a background fence to train plants on) The main difference between raspberry and blackberry are that the fruit releases from the raspberry differently. The "torus" or inside center of the fruit is hollow and releases from the stem with raspberry. With Blackberry, the "torus" or center "picks with" the fruit giving a solid fruit to eat. (just in case you have always wondered) Native Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) is a true native plant to Kansas lightly shaded woods, open moist prairies, disturbed areas (especially those that are logged or cut), and near streams and lakes, trails or roadways. Ripe fruit is black instead of red. Fruit production is rather brief compared to commercially available varieties (one big flush of fruits ripen for a couple weeks and that's it) Foliage is bluish-green with powdery white flocked backsides and irridescent bluish-purple stems add nice ornamental value! Also called black cap raspberry.