Small Fruit - R -  Plant Nursery

Alpine Currant
Ribes alpinum

The Alpine Currant, Ribes alpinum, is a very hardy hedge plant that can be kept trimmed to any desired height from 18 inches to 4 feet. The abundant green, glossy foliage forms a dense hedge. Grows well in sun or shade and is rarely bothered by insects or plant diseases. The Alpine Currant can survive the coldest of winter climates with annual temperatures as low as -50° Fahrenheit. It does well in dry soils. Alpine currant is drought tolerant

Alpine Currant - Green Mound
Ribes alpinum 'Green Mound'

Green Mound Alpine Currant, Ribes alpinum 'Green Mound', leafs out in early spring and has clean, dark green foliage throughout the summer. It creates a beautiful low maintenance hedge with its disease resistant foliage. Green Mound is a mounding, compact, dense, spineless, deciduous shrub that grows to 3-4 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. The species is a dioecious shrub which requires both male and female plants for fruit production . Green Mound is a male cultivar which obviously bears no fruit. Grow this plant in sun or shade with normal to moist soil. It is a tough and hardy dwarf shrub that adapts well to urban conditions and makes an excellent small hedge. Can also be massed in the shrub border and effective in shady woodland areas. It is very winter hardy.

Currant - Yellow Flowering
Ribes aureum

Yellow Flowering Currant, 'Ribes aureum', is an attractive shrub with fragrant yellow flowers in spring followed by black berries in late summer. Green summer foliage turns scarlet-red in the fall. Valued for its foliage and flowers, Yellow Flowering Currant has yellow flowers that are popular with hummingbirds. It has yellow berries that turn black as they ripen and are quite tasty. This xeriscape plant tolerates a range of light exposures and soil types and can be used on difficult sites, but make sure they have good drainage. These drought tolerant plants don't want wet feet. It grows 6 feet in height and width and makes a neat clean bush.

Gooseberry - Hinnomaki Red
Ribes 'Hinnomaki Red'

The Hinnomaki Red Gooseberry, Ribes 'Hinnomaki Red', has an outstanding flavor. Its outer skin is tangy while the flesh is sweet. This gooseberry is very productive with dark red medium sized fruit on upright plants. It is a rounded, deciduous, fruit bearing shrub with green, shallow lobed leaves in summer that turn red in autumn, with white flowers in spring. It is very adaptable with good mildew resistance. Hinnomaki begins fruiting in the planting year, a great feature for home gardeners. The fruit is perfect for bottling and preserves, but if left to ripen fully can be used as a dessert gooseberry. They tolerate partial shade and prefer a cool, moist growing area. Northern slopes with protection from direct sun are ideal. Planting along the side of a building or shady arbor is suitable as well. Avoid sites with poor air circulation, which increases the incidence of powdery mildew. Rich, well drained soils that have a high moisture holding capacity are best. Incorporate organic matter to improve the soil, particularly if it is somewhat sandy. Make sure the plant is watered in dry weather and net the bushes to protect the fruit from birds. In the first year, prune shoots back by half to three-quarters to an outward-facing bud in winter. After that prune out weak and older branches only.

Currant - Consort Black
Ribes nigrum 'Consort'

The Consort Black Currant, Ribes nigrum 'Consort', is an extremely productive, self-fertile variety, ripening late in the season. Its soft rich green leaves turn bright orange, yellow or red in the fall. The black fruits have a strong flavor, are medium in size, and borne in clusters. These rounded, juicy, sweet fruit, 1/4 inch in diameter, have a blackberry flavor and can be used for jelly, jam, or sauces. Consort is very hardy and a reliable producer. Immune and resistant to white pine blister rust and moderately susceptible to mildew, this currant plant is a spineless, deciduous shrub that grows 6 feet wide and 6 feet tall. Currants are very high in vitamin C and cancer preventative antioxidants. They tolerate partial shade and prefer a cool, moist growing area. Northern slopes with protection from direct sun are ideal. Planting along the side of a building or shady arbor is suitable as well. Avoid sites with poor air circulation, which increases the incidence of powdery mildew. Rich, well drained soils that have a high moisture holding capacity are best. Incorporate organic matter to improve the soil, particularly if it is somewhat sandy. Prune currants when the plants are dormant in late winter or early spring.

Gooseberry - Pixwell
Ribes 'Pixwell'

The Pixwell Gooseberry, Ribes 'Pixwell', is considered the best variety on the market today. This heavy bearer produces pale green fruit that turns pink when it's fully ripe in August. This gooseberry usually bears fruit the year after planting and is great for pies and jelly. Grows in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade, but prefers full sun. Plant in a location protected from strong winds and frost pockets. Pixwell is a dense, rounded, glossy-leafed shrub suitable for hedge planting in open or shady areas. Very few thorns are on the plant that produces fruit on 2-3 year old wood. Needs regular summer and winter prunings to maximize fruit production. Easier to prune than some other gooseberries because it is almost thornless.

Currant - Red Lake
Ribes 'Red Lake'

The Redlake Currant, 'Ribes 'Red Lake', is a very productive, semi-erect vigorous grower that produces clusters of large bright red berries borne on 2-3 year old wood. Redlake is a glossy green leafed plant suitable for hedging. Fruits can be used for jams and jellies. The most popular red-currant cultivar in the upper Midwest that ripens in mid-July, and remains productive in partial shade. The bushes are highly ornamental and provide visual appeal, take up a relatively small growing area, and provide plenty of fruit for eating fresh or making into preserves and pies. Currants are very high in vitamin C and cancer preventative antioxidants. They tolerate partial shade and prefer a cool, moist growing area. Northern slopes with protection from direct sun are ideal. Planting along the side of a building or shady arbor is suitable as well. Avoid sites with poor air circulation, which increases the incidence of powdery mildew. Rich, well drained soils that have a high moisture holding capacity are best. Incorporate organic matter to improve the soil, particularly if it is somewhat sandy. Prune currant plant when the plants are dormant in late winter or early spring.

Raspberry - Autumn Britten
Rubus 'Autumn Britten'

The Autumn Britten Raspberry, Rubus 'Autumn Britten', is a sister seedling of Autumn Bliss that has much better fruit firmness and is also a better producer. It ripens 3 weeks before Heritage. The berries are long, conical shaped, with bright red color and good flavor. Autumn Britten has a good upright growth habit. Plants are moderately vigorous, and we recommend planting at 22"-24" in-row spacing. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space, live for years and produce crops the second season after planting. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Boyne
Rubus 'Boyne'

The Boyne Raspberry, Rubus 'Boyne', is an attractive red raspberry with a delicious sweet flavor, making it an excellent choice for fresh eating, canning, freezing and desserts. This raspberry is very productive, extremely hardy, and has a superior disease resistance. It produces a large crop of huge juicy berries in early July. It is an old favorite that is a good performer. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space, live for years and produce crops the second season after planting. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Bristol Black
Rubus 'Bristol'

The Bristol Raspberry, 'Rubus 'Bristol', is a fruit that is black and large with attractive, fairly glossy skin and firm flesh. Berries have excellent quality and good flavor and are good for canning and freezing as well as fresh eating. Bristol’s upright growth and cluster formation make its berries extremely easy to pick. Firm berries can be handled without bleeding. It is very hardy, high producing, vigorous and ripens in mid-July. Bristol shows tolerance to powdery mildew. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space, live for years and produce crops the second season after planting. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Caroline
Rubus 'Caroline'

The Caroline Raspberry, 'Rubus 'Caroline' has proven to be one of the most productive varieties and is considered to be the new standard for fall bearing raspberries. With large, very flavorful fruit, it is very vigorous and more tolerant of root rot and yellow rust than Heritage. This raspberry is a highly flavored, heavy yielding red primocane raspberry, ripening in late August. It produces lots of delicious fruit until fall. It has proven successful from the East to the West Coast. Caroline responds to warmer summer temperatures with earlier ripening. Caroline is the high in levels of nutrients and anti-oxidents. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space, live for years and produce crops the second season after planting. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Blackberry - Chester Thornless
Rubus 'Chester Thornless'

The Chester Thornless Blackberry, 'Rubus 'Chester Thornless', is a semi-erect variety of blackberry that was developed by the USDA. This blackberry produces medium to large, round, deep black, very sweet berries. It contains high quality and high yields, and they are excellent eaten fresh or made into preserves and blackberry wine. It is late in ripening, starting in July. It is a fast grower and requires full sun. Chester is the most hardy thornless blackberry. It bears large, firm, sweet fruitand is very resistant to cane blight. Training canes to grow on a trellis, they can grow to 10' long. Fruit is borne on previous years growth, so cut canes to the ground after they are done bearing. To maintain plants, be sure to water in dry weather and use mulch to conserve soil moisture and control weeds. Pruning on a regular schedule is also beneficial to the growth and health of the plant. Blackberries are a delicious gourmet treat that may be eaten fresh or used in cobbler, cake, sauce, jam, jelly or syrup.

Blackberry - Darrow
Rubus 'Darrow'

The Darrow Blackberry, Rubus 'Darrow', has large, berries that are firm, juicy and have honey sweet, true blackberry flavor. They are great for all purposes, and proven to be the most reliable producer of large crops of top quality fruit. Hardy and rust resistant, it produces well at an early age and ripens in July. Darrow near-black berries are unbelievably big, many measuring a full inch across! These are tempting, with a near-wild taste and a rich, fruity aroma. They grow 4-5 ft. tall, producing a larger crop than most blackberries. This blackberry is cold-hardy, super-vigorous and self-pollinating. To maintain plants, be sure to water in dry weather and use mulch to conserve soil moisture and control weeds. Pruning on a regular schedule is also beneficial to the growth and health of the plant. Blackberries are a delicious gourmet treat that may be eaten fresh or used in cobbler, cake, sauce, jam, jelly or syrup.

Raspberry - Heritage
Rubus 'Heritage'

The Heritage Raspberry, 'Rubus 'Heritage', has medium-sized red berries that have very good flavor and quality. It is exceptional for fresh eating or for making pies and jams. The medium sized fruits have good color and flavor, firmness, and freezing quality. Heritage is an outstanding everbearing variety that produces a crop in mid-July and then again in early September. They are disease-resistant, highly productive, easy-to-grow and will bear fruit the first year. The Heritage red raspberry has been given the 2004 Outstanding Fruit Cultivar Award by the American Society of Horticultural Sciences. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space, and live for years. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Fall Gold
Rubus idaeus 'Fall Gold'

The Fall Gold Raspberry, Rubus idaeus 'Fall Gold', a spring planted herbacious root, is an everbearing raspberry. This cultivar is an upright, thorny shrub which produces crops of gold-colored raspberries. It is called everbearing because it produces two crops on each biennial cane : a fall crop on the top 1/3 of the canes and a second crop the following late spring/early summer on the bottom 2/3 of the canes. Place the Fall GoldRaspberry in full sun and rich, well drained soil. To encourage the best growth, water well during growth.

Raspberry - Jewel
Rubus idaeus 'Jewel'

The Cumberland Raspberry, Rubus idaeus 'Cumberland', a spring planted herbacious root, is the classic name in everbearing raspberries. This blue-black variety produces large juicy sweet berries with very few seeds. Cumberland raspberries freeze very well. Place the Cumberland Raspberry in full sun and rich, well drained soil. To encourage the best growth, water well during growth.

Raspberry - Souris
Rubus idaeus 'Souris'

The Souris Raspberry, Rubus idaeus 'Souris', is a deliciously sweet, red raspberry. This improved variety from Canada is more productive and shows better disease resistance than some of the old standards. It is a summer-bearing raspberry, and is perfect for eating fresh and for baking. Compared to the old standard Boyne, Souris is slightly sweeter, more productive and has better spider mite resistance. Canes have sparse, short spines and grow to a height of 3-5 feet. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space and live for years. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Killarney
Rubus 'Killarney'

The Killarney Raspberry, 'Rubus 'Killarney', is an attractive red berry with great aroma and flavor. This raspberry is excellent for freezing, canning and, of course, pies. One of the most disease resistant varieties, making it very easy to maintain. It is extremely winter hardy and was hybridized in Manitoba. Killarney is very sweet for a raspberry. The bees prefer these to all others, which can make picking a bit challenging at times. This plant tends to bear in clusters that weight down the canes, so support is recommended. The berries are versatile and can be used as in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space and live for years. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Kiwigold
Rubus 'Kiwigold'

The Kiwigold Raspberry, 'Rubus 'Kiwigold' is a sport of Heritage that was found in New Zealand. The beautiful yellow fruit is of good size, quality and color. All reports indicate that Kiwigold is a much better performer than Fallgold. Clusters of white, 5-petaled, rose-like flowers with yellow anthers give way to peach-yellow raspberries of excellent eating quality. Its shelf life is superior to any other yellow variety and it doesn’t crumble. It ripens in August producing large berries with a distinct flavor. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space and live for years. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Latham
Rubus 'Latham'

The Latham Raspberry, 'Rubus 'Latham', is a popular red raspberry that produces large crops of big juicy berries. It makes a delicious jam or a dessert as well as for fresh eating. A sure cropper for home use, this variety starts ripening in July and continues to ripen over a long period of time. Latham is a hardy, older cultivar bearing somewhat in fall and is suitable for inter-mountain regions. This raspberry has become a standard in early-bearing garden and pick-your-own operations.The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space and live for years. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.

Raspberry - Royalty
Rubus 'Royalty'

The Royalty Raspberry, 'Rubus 'Royalty', is cross between a purple and a red raspberry. It has a large fruit size and plant vigor of a purple hybrid with the high quality of a red. Excellent for jam or jelly, and if it is picked at the red stage it has the sweet light flavor of red raspberries. The Royalty ripens mid-July. Royalty is hardy, has wide adaptation, and has good yield potential. This new cultivar has great insect resistance and is among the largest fruited raspberries. The berries are versatile and can be used as fresh fruit, in preserves, or in pies and pastries. Raspberries may be grown successfully at an elevation as high as 7,000 feet. They do best in full sun on non-alkaline, fertile loam soil. However, they may be grown in partial shade or under other environmental constraints. Natural protection against strong winter winds are provided in some valleys, but in other areas it is necessary to provide artificial protection during winter months. Although a well-drained soil is essential for success, a sandy soil will need to have plenty of organic matter incorporated in preparation. Raspberries need a plentiful supply of moisture throughout the growing season. Raspberries take little space and live for years. Birds also love the fruit, so you may have to share the harvest.