Raspberry Mademoiselle Françoise- Rubus idaeus

The Mademoiselle Françoise ® raspberry bush stands out for its healthy foliage, with a dark green shade and no particular sensitivities. The beautiful fruits, bright red, measuring 1.5 to 2 cm (1in) in diameter and weighing around 5 grams, are easily picked due to their accessibility on almost thornless branches. They are fragrant, balanced in sugar and acidity, and their very firm texture ensures excellent preservation. As a perpetual variety, this raspberry bush produces fruit twice a season. The first harvest takes place in summer, on the previous year's canes, followed by a second harvest in autumn on the current year's branches. This characteristic allows for enjoying fresh raspberries at two distinct times of the year. Being self-fertile, this raspberry bush pollinates itself, however, for continuous production and flavor diversity, cultivate it alongside other varieties. Opt for planting in autumn or spring, especially in regions with cold or humid winters. With notable robustness, it resists inclement weather up to -20°C (-4°F) and remains disease-resistant. Thus, its maintenance is simple and its cultivation requires little specific care.

The Rubus idaeus, commonly known as Raspberry, native to Europe and temperate Asia, belongs to the Rosaceae family, like strawberries, blackberries, and wild roses. In its native habitat, it grows in the understory of cool climates in association with plants such as: rowan, elderberry, or beech, with which it forms a symbiotic association. Production is optimal from the third year after planting. The lifespan of the raspberry bush is about ten years. There are two categories of raspberry bushes. Perpetual varieties provide two harvests, the first in June-July on the previous year's canes, and the second from August until frost on the young shoots of the year. Non-perpetual varieties, on the other hand, yield abundant crops around June-July, on the previous year's canes.

The 'Mar 505' variety is a recent innovation from Marionnet nurseries, developed by their Research and Plant Innovation Center (C.R.I.V.) located in Sologne, France, and marketed under the name Mademoiselle Françoise ®. It is a hybrid variety that forms a bushy shrub reaching a height of 1.20 to 1.50 meters (4 to 5 feet) and an approximate width of 80 cm (32in). Its deciduous foliage is carried by upright stems, developing as a suckering perennial stump. The stems or canes are biennial, each having the peculiarity of dying after fruiting. From its roots, suckers emerge every year, forming new thornless canes. The Raspberry bush bears green leaves on the top, whitish-green and tomentose on the underside. The very melliferous flowers bloom from May to August. The white flowers, 1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) in diameter, are grouped in small clusters of 10 to 12. The fruits are formed by small agglutinated drupes, easy to detach when ripe.

The Mademoiselle Françoise Raspberry is a variety that offers an abundant harvest in two periods, from June to early August and from September to November. This characteristic presents the advantage of numerous harvests spread over the summer and autumn, much to the delight of gourmets, both young and old. The Raspberry is a delicate fruit that needs to be carefully picked. Light washing with water is possible, and it keeps better in the refrigerator. Picking is easy, and it is very pleasant either to enjoy the fruits on the spot or to pick them for various culinary uses: sorbets, coulis, jams, tiramisu, crumble, puddings... not to mention the traditional Raspberry Tart. Low in calories but rich in minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron), vitamin C and K, fiber, and antioxidants, raspberries contribute to a balanced diet.

Easy to cultivate, the Mademoiselle Françoise Raspberry bush easily finds its place in a gourmet hedge, a vegetable garden, an ornamental garden, or even in a large pot on a terrace or balcony. Alongside other varieties of small fruits, it brings its distinctive touch, enriching the harvests with its sweet and unique flavors. To enhance the diversity of color and flavor of raspberries, consider planting near perpetual varieties such as Zeva and Heritage, or colorful fruit varieties like Golden Everest and Fall Gold with yellow fruits, or Glen Coe, a thornless variety with purple fruits.