Raspberry Autumn Belle (Everbearing) - Rubus idaeus

The Autumn Belle Raspberry Bush is a small development variety suitable for pot cultivation. Hardy, robust and vigorous, it abundantly produces medium-sized fruits, slightly conical in shape, highly fragrant, and dark red. This perpetual variety bears fruit from July until the first frost. Sweet, sugary and slightly acidic, the fruits of this raspberry bush are incredibly delicious when consumed fresh or used in jams, sorbets, juices, dried fruits, or pastries. It is a moderately suckering variety with weakly prickly shoots. 

The Raspberry Bush, native to Europe and temperate Asia, belongs to the Rosaceae family, like strawberries, blackberries, and wild roses. In its native habitat, it grows in cool climates under the canopy of trees, often associated with plants such as sorb trees, elderberries, or beech trees, forming a symbiotic relationship. Optimal production is achieved in the third year after planting. The lifespan of a raspberry bush is about ten years. Two categories of raspberry bushes can be distinguished:  remontant varieties that produce fruit from July-August until the frosts and non-remontant varieties with abundant harvests in June-July.

The Autumn Belle Raspberry Bushis is a deciduous shrub with upright stems, forming a bush about 60 cm (24in) in all directions over time. It grows as a moderately suckering perennial stump. The shoots or canes are biennial, each with the peculiarity of dying after fruiting. Every year, new suckers emerge from its roots, producing new canes armed with small, mildly prickly prickers. The Raspberry Bush has green leaves on the upper side, whitish-green and downy on the underside. The flowering is beautiful to bees. 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 contain small agglomerated drupes that are easy to detach when ripe.

The Autumn Belle Raspberry Bush can be grown in a pot on a balcony, terrace or small garden. It can also be planted in a vegetable garden orchard or used as an accent plant in a decorative garden. In any case, this Raspberry Bush will find a special place alongside other small fruit varieties. This perpetual variety offers the advantage of staggered harvests for various uses. Raspberries are delicate fruits that should be carefully picked and can be lightly washed with water. They store better in the refrigerator. Picking is easy, and it is delightful either to consume the fruits on the spot or to pick them for various culinary uses such as sorbets, coulis, jams, tiramisu, crumbles, puddings, etc., not to mention the traditional Raspberry Tart. Raspberries are a health asset, low in calories but rich in minerals, vitamin C, fibre, and antioxidants.