Heritage Red Raspberry Plant

Heritage Red Raspberry is one of the most popular and trusted raspberry varieties in America — and it’s easy to see why. Developed at Cornell University, it produces two distinct harvests each season, bears fruit in its first or second year, and delivers large, sweet, firm berries that are as good fresh off the cane as they are frozen, canned, or made into jam. Self-pollinating, cold hardy, and adaptable to poor soils, Heritage is the variety most home growers reach for first.

Two Harvests Every Season

Heritage is an everbearing variety with a dual-season production cycle that sets it apart from standard summer-bearing raspberries. Floricane canes produce a moderate crop in July, followed by a heavier primocane harvest that runs from September all the way through the first frost. That extended fall flush means fresh homegrown raspberries deep into autumn — long after most other varieties have finished.

Large, Sweet, Firm Berries With Great Versatility

Heritage produces large, dark red berries with a mild-tart flavor and firm texture that holds up beautifully in every application. Eat them fresh by the handful, freeze them for smoothies and baking all winter, or cook them into jams, jellies, and preserves. The firm texture also means they ship and store better than softer varieties — a practical advantage at harvest time.

Hardy, Adaptable, and Self-Supporting

Heritage canes are upright and self-supporting, reducing the need for elaborate trellising. The plants are cold hardy in Zones 4–8, tolerant of poor soils as long as drainage is good, and self-pollinating — no second variety needed for a full crop.

Why Growers Love Heritage

• Two harvests per season — July floricane crop plus a heavy September-through-frost primocane crop
• Large, firm, sweet-tart berries — excellent for fresh eating, freezing, and preserving
• Self-supporting upright canes — minimal trellising required
• Bears fruit in year one or two — fast results from a new planting
• Adaptable to poor soils — thrives where other fruits struggle, as long as drainage is good
• Self-pollinating — fruit with just one plant
• Licensed Cornell University variety — developed and proven by one of America’s top agricultural institutions

Important Planting Notes

After planting bare-root canes, prune them back to about 2 inches above the ground. This is a critical step that encourages the roots to send up strong new growth. Don’t be alarmed if new growth emerges from the ground nearby rather than from the original cane — this is normal raspberry behavior as the root system sends up new shoots.

Note: Do not plant red, gold, or purple raspberries within 75–100 feet of black raspberries, as black raspberries can be more susceptible to viral diseases spread by aphids moving between nearby plants.