Please note: this is bare root planting material

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

The 'Black Hawk' is a unique raspberry variety that produces rich clusters of deep-black berries in July–August. The flavor is intensely sweet with a slight spicy undertone, somewhat fuller and more complex than that of red raspberries. The shrub grows vigorously and upright (approx. 1.5–2 m) and forms sturdy, thorny shoots. Ideal for eating fresh, but also excellent for jam, juice, or pastries. The plant grows best in a sunny spot in fertile, well-drained soil.

The flavor of a black raspberry is somewhere between that of a raspberry and a blackberry. The fruits are dark purple to black in color. Unripe fruits are red. The black raspberry grows similarly to blackberries, tayberries, and Japanese wineberries and therefore doesn't spread like traditional raspberries.

Key Features

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

Bare root, what does that mean?
Bare-root means that a tree or shrub is delivered without a pot and without soil around the roots. The advantage is that bare-root plants are less expensive than potted plants. However, the planting period is limited to the winter months. Before planting, it's recommended to soak the roots in water for a few hours and then immediately place the plant firmly in the soil. Bare-root plants are always sold without leaves because otherwise the bare roots will dry out. It's best to transplant the plant to the garden as soon as possible, but temporarily repotting it in a pot is also possible.

Tips and care:

• Planting: November to March
• Support: The black raspberry needs support to grow well. This can be achieved with a fence, but a row of posts with wire stretched between them also works well. Ruud & Merel grow their raspberries in their row-cropping system. In this blog post , they show you step by step how they set it up.
• Pruning : Black raspberries should be pruned in the fall. Remove the old fruiting canes, which are the branches that bore fruit in the previous season. These branches will not 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're certain it's pesticide-free.
• Open ground or pots: you can grow all soft fruit in pots; the larger the pot, the better they will do. They will always grow better and produce more fruit in the open ground. In the open ground, this variety does require support in the form of a fence, trellis, or wire tied to posts.