Purple Raspberry (Rubus × neglectus)

Rubus × neglectus, the purple raspberry, is a hybrid between the red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and the black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis), both members of the rose family (Rosaceae). The '×' in the botanical name denotes this hybrid origin. Purple raspberries combine characteristics of both parent species, producing fruit that matures to a dark reddish-purple color with a flavor profile influenced by both parents.

Purple raspberries typically combine the sweetness of red raspberries with the richer, more intense flavor of black raspberries, resulting in a distinctive sweet-tart taste that many growers consider superior to either parent. The fruit tends to be larger than black raspberries and has a firmer texture than many red raspberry varieties. However, purple raspberries are less commonly available commercially, so they are more often grown by home gardeners and specialty fruit growers.

Well-known purple raspberry cultivars include Brandywine and Royalty, which are among the most widely planted varieties. Brandywine was developed at Cornell University and produces large, mildly flavored berries, while Royalty was released by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva and is known for its vigorous canes and fruit that can range from dark red to purple. These cultivars are popular with home gardeners and specialty fruit growers.

Purple raspberries (Rubus × neglectus) grow as perennial root systems with biennial fruiting canes, meaning the canes grow vegetatively in their first year (primocanes) and fruit in their second year (floricanes) before dying back. After harvest, the spent floricanes should be pruned to ground level, and the primocanes should be tipped back to encourage branching. They typically require a trellis or support system and grow best in well-drained soil with full sun in roughly USDA zones 4–8.