North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Gene Spears" <Spears@LMC.edu>]

We have a number of wild black raspberries (Rubus occidentalis) growing in 
our yard (zone 6 mts. of NC), and several patches of planted red raspberries. 
 This year I found what must be a hybrid individual; it has the growth form 
and coloration (bluish stems and dark green leaves) of the black raspberry, 
but the fruit is intermediate between the two species - matures from a red to 
a purple color, lighter than the black, and the head is intermediate in size 
and looser than the black raspberry.  Flavor is complex, with hints of both 
species, but not especially sweet - more along the "tart' end of the 
spectrum.  Leaves are bigger and stems are taller than the nearby black 
individuals - looks like some hybrid vigor at work.
 
I've read that these hybrids are not uncommon, and that the black raspberries 
are propagated by embedding the growing tips.  Since this has the black 
growth form, I'd guess that tip propagation would work best with this 
individual, but I've never done it, and have some questions about the 
procedure.
 
The new canes are too upright to bring into contact with the soil without 
breaking them - they're about 4-5 feet tall, but don't seem quite as droopy 
as the typical black raspberry.  Do you use the new canes for propagation, or 
would the bearing canes send out growth if they were potted/buried?
 
Is it better to bury the tips in the dirt, or set them in pots with some good 
potting soil/compost around the parent plant?
 
Really, any advice about tip propagation would be much appreciated.  Maybe 
I'll eventually have enough plants to send some around, if folks are 
interested.  I'm thinking of calling it the "Horsebottom Berry", since we 
live on Horsebottom Mt.
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Gene Spears

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