On the canes of raspberries, thorns of different lengths, soft or hard, depending on the variety, form in the leaf axils. The thorns can be quite annoying when picking raspberries. There are now some raspberry varieties that hardly have any thorns anymore.
Which raspberry varieties have no spines?
Spineless raspberry varieties include “Glen Coe”, “Framita”, “Glen Ample”, “Balder”, “Borgund”, “Autumn Amber”, “Alpengold” and “Tulameen”. These varieties make picking the fruit more pleasant and reduce the risk of scratches and allergic reactions.
Planting raspberries without thorns
The spines of raspberry plants are much softer than those of blackberries. However, they are still a nuisance when harvesting. Scratched hands and arms cannot be avoided when picking the thorny raspberry varieties.
Some people even react allergically to the touch of the thorns.
Prickless raspberries have been on the market for several years. You can purchase spineless summer raspberries, autumn raspberries and two-timer raspberries from specialist retailers.
Stimless summer raspberries
- “Glen Coe” – purple fruits
- “Framita” – dark red fruits
- “Glen Ample” – red fruits
- “Balder” – dark red fruits
- “Borgund” – light red fruits
Spineless autumn raspberries
- “Autumn Amber” – apricot-colored fruits
- “Alpengold” – yellow fruits
- “Tulameen” – red fruits, almost thornless, early variety
Popular two-timer breed “Sugana”
The “Sugana” variety has become one of the most popular varieties in recent years. This is because it grows very upright, bears twice a year and is suitable for planting in containers.
The spines of “Sugana” were almost completely bred away. Only very small remains of the rods remain. But they are hardly noticeable when picking and do not hurt the skin.
Tips for picking raspberries with spines
If you grow old raspberry varieties in the garden that have many thorns, you should protect your hands and arms from scratches when picking.
Wear outerwear with long sleeves. Solid materials through which the thorns cannot easily pierce are well suited.
Gloves made of soft rubber material not only prevent you from scratching your arms while picking. Your hands also stay clean. Disposable gloves are practical because they can be easily disposed of after harvest.
Tips & Tricks
Newer varieties of raspberries have another advantage. Their fruits often only have very soft and small seeds, which are not a problem when eating. However, most thornless and seedless varieties are not quite as aromatic as the old varieties.
