Fruit
Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
A cane berry that fruits in summer or autumn depending on type. Raspberries prefer cooler climates, so in Adelaide they do best in the Hills or on the plains with afternoon shade, mulch and steady water. Canes sucker, so grow them where they can be contained and choose thornless or near-thornless cultivars.
- SunFull sun or part shade
- Spacing50 cm apart
- First pick21–64 weeks
- FrostFrost hardy
- HeatStruggles in heat
When to plant where you live
Checking your area…
Add raspberry to my gardenVarieties (4)
- Autumn BlissAutumn-fruiting; cut to the ground each winter; lower chill need
- ChilcotinSummer-fruiting with strong, almost thornless canes; best in the Hills
- HeritageAutumn-fruiting with sturdy, almost thornless canes; reliable on the plains
- SmoothyThornless, autumn-bearing on new canes; compact to about 1.2 m; good for pots
Neighbours
Grows well with
Keep away from
From seed to plate
Plant
50 cm apart, rows 150 cm. Full sun or part shade.
Water
Keep moist; water deeply twice a week in summer.
Feed
Compost and aged manure in late winter; a balanced feed in spring.
Pick, from about 21 weeks
Pick every few days when berries pull off the core easily.
Good to know
- Never plant blackberry: European blackberry is a declared weed in South Australia. Choose thornless raspberry cultivars and contain the patch
- Autumn-fruiting (primocane) types need less chill and suit the plains: cut all canes to the ground in winter
- Summer-fruiting types fruit on two-year canes: after fruiting, remove spent canes and keep about six strong new ones per plant
- Plant bare-rooted canes in winter; a single wire trellis keeps canes tidy
- Don't plant where potatoes or tomatoes grew recently: they share soil diseases
Common problems
- Leaf scorch and shrivelled fruit in heatwavesgive afternoon shade, mulch thickly and water deeply
- Suckers spreading into lawns and bedsgrow in a raised bed, a large tub or behind a root barrier, and dig out stray suckers
- Root rot in wet, heavy soilplant in raised beds of free-draining soil
- Birdsnet when fruit starts to colour
If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.
Wildlife
Good for: bees, birds.
Where this information comes from
- PIRSA: Blackberry, European (declared plant in SA) (declared weed, low confidence)
- ABC Gardening Australia: Raspberries and Rhubarb (growing, medium confidence, checked 29 Oct 2026)
- ABC Gardening Australia: Pruning Berries (pruning, medium confidence, checked 29 Oct 2026)
- Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery: Raspberry Smoothy (varieties, medium confidence, checked 29 Oct 2026)
Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 29 Oct 2026. Version 1.