Raspberry Harvesting Program
Season Extension by Variety Selection
Extend your raspberry harvest through variety selection. Use our charts to choose varieties by key distinguishing features and the following seasonal fruiting/harvesting slots: Take note that actual ripening times will vary depending upon your latitude/geolocation, microclimate, cultivation practices, and year-to-year climate variation, among other factors.
Chart: Raspberry Harvest Window |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit color: | Black | Gold/yellow | Purple | Red | ||||||||||||||||||
| Variety | June | July | August | September | October | |||||||||||||||||
| Summer-Fruiting (Floricane) Varieties | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Boyne' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Cascade Gold' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Prelude'† | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Bristol' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Jewel' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Tahi' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Killarney' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Latham' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Royalty Purple' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Nova' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Encore'† | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Mac Black' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Everbearing / Fall-bearing (Primocane) Varieties | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Niwot'* ♥ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Himbo Top' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Imara' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Polka' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Heritage' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Polana'† ♦ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Joan J' ♥ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Caroline' | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Anne' ♥ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Double Gold' ♥ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
♦ Included in the Berry Lover's Plant Collection
♥ Included in the Rainbow Raspberry Plant Collection
* While technically a floricane, Niwot has a harvest window similar to primocane varieties.
Raspberry Variety Comparison Chart |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variety* | Fruiting Season | Fruit Size | First Color | Growing Zones | Thornless | Notes | |
| Summer-Fruiting (Floricane) Varieties | |||||||
| 'Boyne' | Very early | Medium | Red | 3–8 | Cold-hardy and great for jam. | ||
| 'Cascade Gold' | Very early | Large | Gold | 4–8 | ✔ | Early organic golden raspberry. | |
| 'Prelude' † | Very early | Medium-large | Red | 4–8 | Typically bears most of its fruit in mid June, followed by a smaller fall season harvest. | ||
| 'Bristol' | Early | Medium | Black | 5–8 | Vigorous plants with powdery mildew resistance. | ||
| 'Jewel' | Midseason | Large | Glossy black | 5–8 | Fruit ripens uniformly for a concentrated harvest. | ||
| 'Tahi' | Midseason | Large | Deep black | 5–8 | ✔ | Spineless black raspberry. | |
| 'Killarney' | Midseason | Medium | Red | 3–7 | Superior baking quality. | ||
| 'Latham' | Midseason | Medium-large | Red | 3–8 | Winter-hardiness meets exceptional fruit quality. | ||
| 'Royalty Purple' | Midseason | Large | Purple | 4–8 | Prized for jams and jellies. | ||
| 'Nova' | Midseason | Medium-large | Red | 3–8 | Consistent yield, few thorns, improved winter hardiness. | ||
| 'Encore'† | Midseason | Large | Red | 4–7 | ✔ (minimal thorns) | Mid/late summer-bearing variety to help fill the harvest gap in late July to early August between standard early- and late-season varieties. | |
| 'Mac Black' | Mid-late | Medium | Black | 5–8 | Has shown some observed resistance to anthracnose. | ||
| Everbearing/Fall-Fruiting (Primocane) Varieties | |||||||
| 'Niwot'* ♥ | Early and Mid-late (dual harvest) | Large | Black | 5–8 | Niwot can produce an excellent floricane crop followed by a fall harvest (see above for fall harvest slot). | ||
| 'Himbo Top' | Midseason and Mid-late (dual harvest). | Red | 4–8 | ✔ (minimal thorns) | Vigorous and disease resistant. | ||
| 'Imara' | Mid-late | Medium | Red | 5–8 | Reliable and bountiful. | ||
| 'Polka' | Mid-late | Large | Red | 5–8 | Easy to grow. | ||
| 'Heritage' | Mid-late | Large | Red | 3–8 | Heirloom with sturdy canes that often don't require support. | ||
| 'Polana'† ♦ | Mid-late to Late | Medium-large | Glossy red | 3–8 | Standard everbearing raspberry, helps fill the gap between summer- and fall-bearing varieties. | ||
| 'Joan J' ♥ | Mid-late to Late | Large | Glossy red | 4–8 | ✔ | Thornless and productive. | |
| 'Caroline' | Mid-late to Late | Medium-large | Red | 4–7 | ✔ | Full, intense flavor. Matures later than Polana, earlier than Anne. | |
| 'Anne' ♥ | Mid-late to Late | Large | Pale yellow | 4–7 | Known for excellent, very sweet flavor. | ||
| 'Double Gold' ♥ | Mid-late | Large | Deep blush, golden champagne | 5–7 | Bears some fruit the first fall of planting year, and either summers or falls after that depending on how it is managed. | ||
† Included in our Red Raspberry Plant Collection
♦ Included in the Berry Lover's Plant Collection
♥ Included in the Rainbow Raspberry Plant Collection
* While technically a floricane, Niwot has a harvest window similar to primocane varieties.