Rubus idaeus – Golden-Fruited Raspberry (‘Anne’ or ‘Fall Gold’)

Golden Raspberry general information: Everbearing, self-fertile, primocane-bearing, Yellow Raspberry cultivars. You can opt to have 2 harvests by leaving canes standing over the winter; this will yield a summer (floricane) and fall (primocane = new growth) crop. Or, you can opt for one harvest, which can often yields a bigger harvest, by pruning canes to the ground in winter, or early spring. This will encourage strong new growth.

Enjoy these golden gems each fall; they are often preferred by many people over Red Raspberries! Fruits are considered to be among the sweetest of the Raspberries, comparable to a very sweet red raspberry, with a bit more depth of flavor. They are just as versatile as other red raspberries and can be used as a substitute or additive to any dish calling for red raspberries. The leaves may also be used to brew a refreshing tea. Like red raspberries, the leaves and roots are used to create herbal remedies.

Fruits are produced on first-year growth. Thorny plants that tend to run (sucker), so they should be planted in areas where they have room to spread and won’t interfere with other spaces. Suckers emerge from the roots. The taller canes may bend over in winter, take root, and form new shoots as well. The primocane fruiting quality of this plant enables growers to harvest in fall, and again the following spring from the same canes. For this reason, the plants are considered everbearing. Very hardy, thriving in USDA Zones 3-9. Since they fruit on first-year wood, it is recommended to prune back canes that have finished fruiting after the second year. Depending on the growing zone and age of the canes, the white blossoms emerge from mid-spring to mid-fall. First-year fruits typically set in August or September, with second-year fruits emerging in June or July, again depending on climate. The fruits are a favorite among wildlife, so netting may be desirable until a grove is fully established.

Anne, a Golden (Primocane-bearing) Raspberry that is very late, ripening 2-3 weeks after Heritage. Firm, large berries have an excellent, unique flavor (undertones of banana). Canes are more sparse than other varieties, so you can plant them closer together. If Anne is not cut back in the fall, it can produce a good summer crop.

Fall Gold: (Rubus idaeus var. strigosus), a golden raspberry, is wonderfully sweet with a complex flavor. Upright, tall canes are thorny, a great choice for espaliering, which is the practice of pruning fruit-producing plants in a flat line to maximize production. Fruit is soft and of excellent flavor, sometimes developing a reddish blush. Very cold-hardy.