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Species photo — your cultivar may vary
© Aleksandr V. Lebedev, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC) · iNaturalist
Rubus, Genus, idaeus, Species, 'Heritage', Cultivar,
- Genus & species
- Cultivar
Heritage Raspberry
Garden selection; released 1969 from USDA-Cornell breeding program
Overview
Rubus idaeus 'Heritage' is an everbearing red raspberry, growing 48–72 inches (120–180 cm) tall on upright canes. Produces fruit on both first-year canes (primocanes, fall crop) and second-year canes (floricanes, early summer crop) — two potential crops per year. Released in 1969 from the USDA-Cornell breeding program. Medium-sized red berries 0.5–0.75 inch (12–18 mm) with a balanced sweet-tart flavor. An alternative management approach: mow all canes to the ground in late winter. This eliminates the early summer floricane crop but produces a single concentrated fall primocane crop, and removes the need to distinguish between first-year and second-year canes. Self-fertile. Zones 4–8. Lightly armed canes (small thorns, less aggressive than blackberry). Non-toxic — fruit is edible. Full sun (6+ hours) for fruit production. Requires support (staking or hedgerow-style parallel wires). Raspberry crown borer and spotted wing drosophila are common pests. Susceptible to root rot in poorly drained soil. Fruit does not ripen further after picking.
Native Range
'Heritage' was released in 1969 from the USDA-Cornell breeding program. Species native to Europe and northern Asia.Suggested Uses
Grown in hedgerow-style rows spaced 24–36 inches (60–90 cm) between plants and 72–96 inches (180–240 cm) between rows. Full sun. Suited to home gardens with well-drained acidic to neutral soil. Self-fertile. The lightly thorned canes require gloves during maintenance.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4' - 6'
Width/Spread2' - 3'
Colors
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
White, small, five-petaledFoliage Description
Dark green, compound (3-5 leaflets), serrated, with white undersidesGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Full sun (6+ hours). Well-drained soil — root rot in waterlogged conditions. Support with staking or parallel wires. Self-fertile. Two management options: two-crop (selective cane removal) or one-crop (mow all canes in winter). Non-toxic fruit. Zones 4–8.Pruning
Two-crop system: cut spent floricanes after summer harvest; leave primocanes for fall crop. One-crop system: mow all canes to ground in late winter for a single fall crop. Thin canes to 6–8 per foot (per 30 cm) of row.Pruning Schedule
Prune: February–March
late winter
Container Growing
Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 10 gallons
