Please note: this is bare-root plant material!

Black raspberry (Rubus idaeus 'Black Hawk') - 1 bare-root plant

The ‘Black Hawk’ is a special raspberry variety that produces rich clusters of deep black fruit in July–August. The taste is intensely sweet with a slightly spicy undertone, slightly fuller and more complex than that of red raspberries. The bush grows vigorously and upright (approx. 1.5–2 m) and forms sturdy, thorny canes. Ideal for eating fresh, but also excellent for jam, juice, or baking. The plant grows best in a sunny spot in nutritious, well-draining soil.

The flavor of a black raspberry lies between that of a raspberry and a blackberry. The fruits are dark purple to black in color. Unripe fruits are red. The black raspberry has the same growth habit as blackberries, tayberries, and Japanese wineberries and therefore does not spread aggressively like classic raspberries.

Main features

• Harvest: July-August
• Flavor: sweet, more complex flavor than red raspberries
• Thorns: yes
• Location: sun to partial shade
• Planting distance: 50-100 cm
• Cultivation method: support with wire/trellis

Bare-root, what does that mean?
Bare-root means that a tree or shrub is supplied without a pot and without soil around the roots. The advantage is that bare-root plants are more affordable than potted plants. However, the planting period is limited to the winter months. Before planting, it is recommended to soak the roots in water for a few hours and then plant the shrub directly into the ground. Bare-root plants are always sold without leaves because the bare roots would otherwise dry out. It is best to plant them in the garden as soon as possible, but temporary potting is also an option.

Tips and care:

• Planting: November to March
• Support: the black raspberry needs support to grow well. This can be done with a fence, but a row of posts with wire stretched between them also works well. At Ruud & Merel’s, the raspberry grows in their row cultivation system. In this blog they show step by step how they installed it.
• Pruning: the black raspberry should be pruned in the autumn. Remove the old fruiting canes, which are the branches that bore fruit in the past season. These branches will no longer produce new fruit and are best removed.
• Organic/non-organic: this plant material comes from a small-scale grower without an official organic certificate. But don't worry, we are certain that it is toxin-free.
• Open ground or pots: you can grow all small fruit in pots; the larger the pot, the better they will do. They will always grow better and produce more fruit in open ground. In open ground, this variety does require support by means of a trellis, fence, or being tied to wires stretched between posts.