Plant-A-Day 2020 (Day 177) Black Raspberry “Jewel”

Another Raintree Nursery purchase made close to a decade ago, this is another favorite berry that ripens in June/July, this is a variety of Rubus idaeus.

This berry’s canes are stiffer than the blackberry and tayberry canes and have a bluish white bloom that makes them easy to spot. The fruit appear in groups of about 7 or 9. A middle berry will ripen first, then the others will catch up over time. I like them so much straight from the cane that I’ve never made any baked goods or preserves with them.

My Jewel plant has weakened a bit over time, though it looks like it will have quite a few berries this year. My 2020 plans are to slip some fertilizer around it and manage the new canes carefully by pruning to maximize their 2021 output.