Oregon's Raspberries and Blackberries

From June through September Oregon's Willamette Valley blushes with berries. Red Raspberries, Black Raspberries, Marion Blackberries, Evergreen Blackberries, Boysenberries, and Loganberries are the fruits of the long canes characteristic of caneberries. Once only available for a few months each year, Oregon's summer berries are now available year-round in every imaginable food and drink.

To capture the fresh sun-sweetened flavor of Oregon caneberries, over 500 growers work with about 20 Oregon processors to ensure that the delicate berries are packed fresh within hours of harvest. The berries are then shipped to markets around the world, to the delight of berry lovers everywhere.

Oregon packers are capable of producing every variety of pack - Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) berries; straight or sugared frozen berries; canned berries; berry juices, purees, and concentrates. Many of the best known berry packing firms in the U.S. are located in Oregon.

There are only a handful of areas in the world where caneberries thrive, and there is nowhere they grow better than in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Long regarded as one of the world's most productive agricultural regions, the Valley has a climate that is perfectly suited for caneberry production. Fertile, well drained soil, favorably timed spring rains, and summers that are warm in daytime and cold at night, produce berries that are sweet and plump.

According to the Oregon Ag Stats Service, Oregon accounts for 95% of the Black Raspberries, 17% of the Red Raspberries, 95% of the Loganberries, 95% of the Blackberries, and over 68% of the Boysenberries that are commercially produced for processing in the U.S. Little wonder the Willamette Valley is called the caneberry capital of the world.

Health-minded consumers are looking for low-fat, low-cholesterol foods. But no one wants to sacrifice taste. Delicious Oregon caneberries are a nutritional bargain - just a few calories (65-80 per cup), low salt, low-fat, plus significant amounts of vitamins and fiber.

• Willamette and Meeker are predominant among the top 5 commercial varieties grown in Oregon. 
• The leading caneberry for flavor recognition and commercial usage. 
• Medium size (3.0g), red, small seed, and hollow core.
• Fresh season is typically June 15 - July 20
• Common names: 

European red raspberry 
Raspberry 
Red raspberry 
Framboise   [French] 
Framboisier  [French] 
Himbeere   [German] 
Razuberi   [Japanese] 
Ezo-ichigo  [Japanese] 
Framboeseira   [Portuguese] 
Chordón   [Spanish] 
Frambueso   [Spanish]

• Native to North America.
• Popular in specialty food products and as a coloring agent. 
• Small (2.0g), blue/black, small seed, and hollow core. 
• Fresh season is typically July 1 - July 31
• Common Names:

Black raspberry 
Blackcap 
Framboisier de Virginie  [French] 
Schwarze Himbeere [German] 
Frambueso negro [Spanish]

• A native Oregonian. A cross between Chehalem blackberry and Olallieberry blackberry. 
• Medium size (5.0g), dark red to black, medium seed. 
• Fresh season is typically July 10 - August 10. 

• A native wild blackberry of Europe. Often considered the traditional blackberry.
• Medium size (4.0g), black, large seed. 
• Fresh season is typically August 10 - September 15. 
• Common names:

Cut-leaf blackberry
Cut-leaf bramble
Evergreen blackberry 
Laciniate bramble
Parsley-leaf bramble

• Parentage unknown - considered to be blackberry crossed with Loganberry or red raspberry. 
• Very large (8.0g), deep maroon, large seed. 
• Fresh season is typically July 10 - August 10. 

• A cross between blackberry and red raspberry. 
• Commonly used in pies and wines. Has unique, tart flavor. 
• Medium size (5.0g), deep red, medium seed. 
• Fresh season is typically June 20 - July 10. 

A semi-erect blackberry developed by the USDA-ARS in Illinois and Maryland from a cross between a breeding selection and 'Thornfree' 

Medium (~5g) sized fruit; deep black color; round shape; medium number of drupelets per fruit; large size seeds; 

Good flavor but very different and less aromatic than trailing blackberry (i.e. 'Marion')

Thornless; very high yielding

Late ripening season; typically begins in mid-August and can go until frost.

• From a cross of two USDA selections; grandparents include Boysenberry, two wild Northwest blackberries and an eastern blackberry.
• Medium to large (6-7g) fruit; deep black color; medium seed.
• Fresh season is typically July 1 - July 24.

• A trailing blackberry from a cross of ORUS 742 x Marion; cross was made by G.F. Waldo with USDA-ARS in Corvallis who sent the seed to Australia (Victoria) where the original selection and development took place.
• Generally similar to 'Marion' in growth habit, yield and fruit quality.
• High yields produced on very vigorous, thorny plant
  
• Medium-large (6.2 g) fruit, larger than 'Marion'; purple-black color; excellent flavor; excellent processing characteristics. Fresh fruit are not as firm as 'Marion'
  
• Early ripening (2-6 days  before 'Marion') typically beginning in late June and extending until about the 3rd week of July.
• Growers report greater winter hardiness than 'Marion'
  

• From a cross of two USDA selections, one grand parent is Marion.
• Medium to large (6-7g) fruit; deep black color; very uniform conic shape; high number of drupelets per fruit; medium size seeds. 
• Thornless; easier on workers and eliminates thorn contaminants concerns.
• Late ripening; fresh season is typically July 15 to August 10. 

• Tayberry is a hybrid berry, developed by the Scottish Research Institute, located beside the River Tay in Scotland. It is a cross between a Scottish raspberry and a wild blackberry. Its flavor is clean, tangy and tart.