Raspberries – Dark Purple Berries

Q: I planted raspberry canes a few years ago. The berries turn dark purple when they ripen. Are they black raspberries?

A: There are several varieties of deep purple/black raspberry. They are best suited for gardens in the West and Midwest, not the Southeast. They seem to get viruses more readily than red raspberries. Red raspberries like ‘Dormanred’, ‘Heritage’ and ‘Redwing’ produce lots of red raspberries in the South.