Black Jewel Raspberry - Rubus occidentalis

The Black Jewel Raspberry Bush is a vigorous and hardy variety, with the particularity of producing fairly round black raspberries, rich in antioxidants. Their taste is somewhere between raspberry and blackberry. Originating from the United States, this non-remontant (summer fruiting) variety does not sucker much and offers good yields. Planting from October to March, for a harvest around the month of July.

To fully enjoy their flavour, raspberries should be consumed quickly after picking, as they do not keep well. Whether they are red, yellow, or black, they can be consumed in the same way. If you have an abundant harvest, consider making coulis, sorbets, tarts, or jams. You can also freeze them. Production reaches its normal level in the third year after planting. One plant can produce fruit for around 10 years. There are two types of raspberry varieties: remontant, producing from June to October, and non-remontant, with abundant harvests occurring around June - July.

The Black Jewel Raspberry is a deciduous shrub with prickly stems, forming a bush about 1.30m (4ft) tall. The stems or canes are biennial, each having the particularity of dying after fruiting. The Raspberry Bush has leaves that are green on the top, white-green and downy on the underside. The flowering is very honey-bearing. The white flowers are small (1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) in diameter), grouped in small clusters of 10 to 12, and appear in April-May. The fruits are formed by small agglomerated drupes, easy to detach at ripeness, and their colour varies depending on the variety: red, yellow, or black for the Black Jewel variety.

The Raspberry Bush belongs to the Rosaceae family, like strawberries, blackberries, and wild roses. The wild raspberry is native to Europe and temperate Asia, where it grows in cool climates alongside elderberry, beech, or mountain ash, especially in mountainous undergrowth, but also in the plains.