Rubus idaeus 'Latham' (Raspberry)

'Latham' is a red raspberry selection bred for flavor, productivity, and PNW disease tolerance. Expect upright 4 to 6 foot canes, white five-petal flowers, and the classic conical red berries that slip cleanly from the receptacle when fully ripe. Compound green leaves and lightly thorned canes give the raspberry row its signature look in any kitchen garden.

Raspberries thrive in the cool, moist PNW climate when sited correctly. Plant in full sun (six-plus hours) in well-drained loamy soil at pH 5.6 to 6.5, ideally on a slight slope or raised berm to shed winter rain. Trellis canes between two parallel wires at 3 and 5 feet to keep fruit off the ground and improve air circulation. Mulch annually with straw or composted bark, and provide consistent water during fruit set and ripening. Hardy USDA Zones 4 to 8.

Red raspberries are self-fertile; a single cultivar will fruit, though planting two cultivars extends the harvest window. Floricane (summer-bearing) types fruit on second-year canes, primocane (everbearing) types fruit on first-year canes. Pruning timing depends on the type, prune floricane spent canes after harvest and primocane canes to the ground in late winter. PNW pressures: Spotted Wing Drosophila, raspberry root rot (Phytophthora) in waterlogged soil, and cane blight. Use drip irrigation, remove fruited canes promptly, and rotate planting sites if root rot appears. Not deer-resistant.

If you're considering native fruiting alternatives that support PNW birds and ecology, look at Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry), Vaccinium parvifolium (Red Huckleberry), Rubus parviflorus (Thimbleberry), Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry), or Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon). These provide bird food, pollinator support, and Indigenous food heritage in your landscape.