Rubus 'Heritage' Raspberry

A classic name in raspberry cultivars, popular worldwide, 'Heritage' is primarily grown for its tasty fruits but also has ornamental value and fits beautifully into an edible landscape. It grows as an upright deciduous shrub with cane-like stems and reaches about 4 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. 'Heritage' is an everbearing raspberry, producing 2 crops on each cane: a moderate crop in early summer and a second heavier crop in fall. The shrub blooms in clusters of rose-like white flowers followed by large, extra sweet, dark red fruits, which have great holding ability on the vine, staying firm and juicy. The flowers attract bees and butterflies, and the fruits attract songbirds.

Rubus 'Heritage' Raspberry grows vigorously and spreads by suckers, eventually forming thickets. It is best planted in fall in a sunny, sheltered location with organically rich, moisture-retentive, well-draining soil, having a slightly acidic pH, around 6.0. The plant is adaptable to a wide range of soils but will not tolerate wet or shallow chalky soils. Although 'Heritage' resists powdery mildew, good air circulation is a must. So, space plants about 3 feet apart in the row and train along a post and wire system or grow single plants in a container and train up a single post.

Although raspberry roots are perennial, the fruit-bearing canes are biennial. Each cane lives for 2 growing seasons before dying. First year stems bear only leaves. Second year lateral branches produce leaves, flowers, and fruits. Pruning is important for the plant's overall health and productivity. In summer, cut back top 1/3 of old, summer-bearing canes as soon as fruiting has finished. In fall, 'Heritage' will produce fruit on the tips of the new shoots. In late winter, remove any damaged or dead canes.