Plant family: Rosaceae
Plant origin: North-East Queensland, and South-East Asia.
Fruit description: Atherton Raspberry is a variety of Native Raspberry, which occurs in North Queensland. Atherton Raspberries can grow in frosty, cold, subtropical and tropical climates. They do not need long cold periods to flower and produce fruit. In a warm climate, Atherton Raspberries fruit for up to 6 months of the year, from Autumn to Summer. Atherton Raspberries are produced in clusters, they turn from green to bright red when ripe. Each fruit has a flattened shape and is 2cm wide. Atherton Raspberry fruit is soft when ripe, hollow where they are picked off the stem, and are sweet and delicious to eat fresh.
Flowers: The flowers are produced in early autumn and winter. Each flower is about 2–3 cm in diameter with five white petals.
Growing conditions: Atherton Raspberries are perennial, evergreen plants which typically produce biennial stems ("canes") from the perennial root system.
In its first year, a new stem, the primocane, grows to about 1 -1.5 metre between September and December. Prune the plant after fruiting, 10cm above the ground, to encourage new canes to grow which will bear next seasons fruit. The leaves are glossy, the plant and leaves have few thorns.
Atherton Raspberries are a 2 metre bush, you can use a stake, trellis or wire to support the plants. Atherton Raspberries like water when they are fruiting, and mulch which conserves moisture and keeps plants in good health. Raspberries are vigorous and tolerate poor soil. Frost does not bother raspberries unless they are fruiting.
Uses: Eat Atherton raspberries fresh, or stewed, in pies and crumbles, with cream or ice-cream. Make delicious jam, jelly, ice-cream, wine and liqueur. The flowers produce a lot of nectar and can result in lovely honey. Raspberries can be frozen.
Medicinal uses: Atherton Raspberries are high in polyphenol antioxidants, dietary fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, and the essential mineral, manganese. Raspberry leaves can be made into medicinal teas.
Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.
Harvest time Autumn to Summer.
Plant relatives Raspberries have been crossed with other Rubus species to develop Loganberries and Boysenberries. Raspberries are related to Blackberries.
Special features:
Grown by method: Cutting Grown Pot size: 140mm
Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 1 metres high by 1 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 1.5 metres high by 1 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.
Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 140mm
