BIO Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) GLEN COE

Purple Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) 'Glen Coe'

A unique thornless cross between a red and black raspberry with exceptional flavor.

'Glen Coe' is a fascinating Scottish variety created by combining a classic red raspberry with a black raspberry. The result is exceptionally attractive velvety dark purple to almost black fruits that surprise with a delicious, aromatic sweetness and a subtle raspberry-blackberry note. Growers love it not only for this culinary exclusivity but also for its almost entirely thornless canes, making fruit picking and maintenance a completely hassle-free experience.

Key Highlights:

• Purple fruits: A rare and highly attractive color (a red and black raspberry hybrid).
• Thornless canes: Ensure safe and rapid harvesting.
• Unique flavor: Sweet and aromatic with a blackberry undertone.
• High resilience: Frost hardy (down to -25 °C) and highly disease resistant.
• Compact growth ideal for home gardens.

Origin and Registration

• Origin: Scotland (Scottish Crop Research Institute).
• Genetics: Cross between the red raspberry 'Glen Prosen' and the black raspberry 'Munger'.

Variety Characteristics

Bush

• Growth: Upright and compact. Standard height is around 120 cm, but under ideal conditions, it can reach 150 – 200 cm.
• Thorns: The canes are almost completely thornless (smooth).
• Cultivation: Given its height and crop weight, growing with support (tying to a wire trellis) is recommended.

Fruit

• Color: Velvety dark purple to black.
• Taste: Pleasantly sweet, juicy, aromatic with raspberry-blackberry notes.
• Shape: Round, plump fruits.
• Usage: Great for fresh eating, in smoothies, and for making jams, desserts, and syrups.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost: Handles winter excellently; frost hardy down to more than -25 °C.
• Diseases: Characterized by very good plant health (does not suffer from common raspberry diseases). However, it requires an airy location.
• Soil: Prefers well-drained, humus-rich, and slightly moist soil (pH 5.5 – 6.5). Intolerant of heavy, waterlogged ground.

Cultivation Recommendations

• Pollination: It is self-fertile; one plant is sufficient for a crop.
• Location: Full sun to light shade. Plant spacing 40–50 cm in rows, 1.5–2 m between rows.
• Pruning: It fruits on last year's (floricane) wood. After harvest, the old fruiting canes are cut down to the ground, leaving only the new, young canes for the following year.
• Care: Spring fertilization with compost, regular watering during dry spells, and mulching to retain moisture are recommended.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Early summer variety. Fruits ripen gradually starting from late June to late July (depending on location).