THORNLESS RASPBERRIES
FOR FLORIDA:
Itsaul 'Summer' PPAF
Rubus niveus 'Summer'
common name: Everbearing Raspberries
zones 6-10
A remarkable breakthrough in plant breeding, the Itsaul 'Summer' Everbearing Raspberry bears fruit continuously all summer long on sprawling vines that are THORNLESS!!! Well, there's no large thorns, so they are called thornless, but in fact there are actually many little thorny hairs on the stems that hurt like thorns!
Sweet, juicy, plump berries are borne on BOTH old and new canes.
Perfect For Zone 9
Most raspberry cultivars are suited to zones 4-8, and while a few are listed as also growing in zone 9, they don't perform in our summer heat nearly as well as they do in cooler climates.
And the south Florida cultivar 'Mysore' raspberry isn't quite cold hardy enough for the upper half of zone 9.
Finally a raspberry suited to zone 9!
Itsaul 'Summer' Raspberries:
thornless for zones 6-10
Itsaul 'Summer' is a recent release by Itsaul Plants in Alpharetta, GA, a plant development company that introduces new varieties to market.
PPAF = patent pending / applied for
UPDATE 2020: we do not have a current source of supply for the Itsaul Summer Raspberry; so this page is for informational source only.
Here's a picture of this year's 3g Raspberries on a trellis: 3g/$39
Soil and pH
Raspberries need full sun -- no exceptions -- slightly acidic (pH 6.0-6.5), well-drained soil that is rich in composted manure and organic soil amendments.
They should not be allowed to dry out during the spring and summer while flowering and fruiting.
Cultivation
Plants can be grown directly in the ground or in containers with trellises. Vines will typically reach 3-5' after 3 years. Trellis support makes it easier to pick the berries and helps control the potential for fungal rot on the vines.
We recommend growing in large pots to provide good drainage while maintaining consistent moisture control.
Good air circulation around the vines is also important.
Controling Fungi
Never plant blackberries or raspberries in soil that has grown potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, or other caneberries in the past 3 years. Some sources recommend staying a few hundred feet away from wild blackberries and raspberries as well.
The reason is blackberries and raspberries can both be susceptible to verticicillium wilt, a fungi associated with those plants.
If you use mulch, choose something like sawdust or hay, so that you don't encourage fungi to grow under the plants.
UPDATE 2020: we do not have a current source of supply for the Itsaul Summer Raspberry; so this page is for informational source only.