Black Raspberry (Rubus niveus) is not to be confused with blackberry. Blackberries are typically larger, shiny and firmer. Black raspberry is delicate and plush with a velvety skin like its red counterpart. Black raspberries can be used in the same ways as red raspberry, although they are a bit more popular for canning than red raspberries.
Common Names: Mysore raspberry, Ceylon raspberry, hill raspberry.
It is native to southern Asia, from Afghanistan east through India and China to Taiwan and the Philippines, south to Sri Lanka and Malaysia, and north to Gansu in China.
It is a shrub growing 1 to 2.5 m tall. The stems are whitish tomentose at first, becoming glabrous green to purple later. The stems (canes) are biennial, erect to arching, often scrambling and have curved sharp thorns. Immature canes are unbranched and have a whitish bloom. They only produce leaves, and do not flower, in their first year of growth, forming flowering branches in their second year. The leaves are pinnate with 5 to 11 leaflets (mostly 7 or 9). The leaflets are 2.5 to 8 cm long and 1 to 4 cm broad, dark green above, densely pale grey to white tomentose beneath.
The flowers are about 1 cm diameter, with five dark pink to red petals. The fruit is 8 to12 mm in diameter, densely grey tomentose, dark red at first, ripening to black. Long stems also called canes, can grow up to 2.5m in length, usually forming an arch shape, but sometimes upright.The stems are notably glaucous (bluish white) and are smoothly round-shaped (nearly circular in diameter). When the stem surface is scratched, the underlying surface is a reddish maroon color. Canes have curved sharp thorns, while immature canes are unbranched and have a whitish bloom.
The plant can grow to a height of up to 2.5m or more, if not pruned. It is advisable to grow this plant in a large container with some form of support such as a trellis or a tomato cage.
Growing Black Raspberry
- Fill a seed starter tray with sterile potting soil in the early fall.
- Press one to two Raspberry Seeds ¼ inch down into the soil of each cell.
- Pat the soil down gently over the seeds to remove air pockets.
- Mist the soil lightly to dampen, using a spray bottle filled with water.
- Keep the soil moist throughout the germination process.
- Place the seed starter tray in a cool, dark area while the raspberry seeds germinate.
- The seeds will begin to sprout within three months.
- Set the seed starter tray in an area that receives bright, indirect sunlight once the seeds begin to sprout.
- Continue to keep the soil moist and provide the raspberry plants with adequate light as they continue to grow.
- Transplant the raspberry plants outdoors in the spring, as soon as the soil is workable.
- Select an area for transplanting your raspberries that contains full sun and well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5.
- Raspberries can also be successfully grown in containers.
Medical Disclaimer
Information is for educational and informational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment offered by healthcare professionals.