Royalty Purple Raspberry

‘Royalty’ is a purple raspberry (a red × black cross). It is summer-bearing on floricanes, late season, very productive, and known for large berries and good insect resistance.

Fruit description

Color and size: Berries ripen from red to reddish-purple to deep purple at full ripeness. Very large fruit, often 4-6 g, broadly conic.

Flavor and texture: At the red stage the fruit is firmer with classic red-raspberry character. Fully purple fruit is sweeter, very juicy, and softer. Excellent fresh and outstanding for jams and jelly.

Plant and canes

Habit: Vigorous, upright to arching canes, typically 5-8 ft with support. Canes are thorny. Suckers form a manageable hedgerow.

Bearing type: Floricane only. Primocanes grow year 1, overwinter, then fruit as floricanes in late summer of year 2.

Trellis: A simple two-wire or T-post trellis helps keep heavy crops off the ground.

Hardiness and zones

Best in USDA Zones 4 to 8. Cold hardy and widely adapted.

When it ripens

Late summer. In cooler climates expect late July into August; warmer sites ripen a bit earlier.

Site and soil

Full sun. Well-drained loam enriched with organic matter. Consistent moisture is important during bloom and fruit fill. Aim for soil pH around 6.0-6.8.

Spacing and layout

Plants 2-3 ft apart in rows, rows 8-10 ft apart for access and airflow. Maintain a 12-18 inch wide hedgerow by removing excess suckers.

Pruning made simple

After harvest, remove spent floricanes at ground level.
During the growing season, thin primocanes to 4-6 sturdy canes per linear foot of row.

In late winter, tip or shorten tall primocanes to your top wire to encourage branching and easier picking.

Feeding and watering

In spring, apply a balanced fertilizer or composted manure. Mulch 2-3 inches to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Provide about 1-1.5 inches of water per week in dry periods.

Pests and diseases

Noted resistance to common aphids that transmit mosaic and leaf curl viruses, and good tolerance to raspberry fruitworm. Still monitor for spotted wing drosophila in warm, humid periods and pick promptly. Maintain airflow to reduce cane blights and botrytis.

Yield and use

Heavy producer of very large berries. Pick at the red stage for firmer fruit with better short storage, or at full purple for maximum sweetness and processing quality.

Quick pros and cons

Pros: Huge berries, sweet flavor, heavy crops, sturdy plants, helpful insect resistance, broad adaptation.

Considerations: Thorny canes, fully ripe fruit is softer so harvest frequently, simple trellising recommended.