Aronia Berry vs Souris Raspberry (an improved Boyne Raspberry)
Aronia melanocarpa
Rubus x Souris
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
Aronia Berry produces black fruit that is often considered too astringent. This is why they are also referred to as Black Chokeberry. It is native to Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States. White to pink flowers appear in the spring which provides a nice contrast to the dark green foliage. In fall the leaves turn a vibrant orange to red.
It has a fast growth rate, strong roots, and can tolerate growing in wet soils. This makes it well suited for various projects including forming hedges, bank stabilization, erosion control, and in wetter riparian areas. They are also well suited as an understory plant as it grows well under other trees.
Aronia berries have their own unique flavour. The polyphenols and anthocyanins are touted as healthy antioxidants and lots of research seems to be underway on the health benefits of this fruit.
Souris is an improved version of Boyne, the classic prairie raspberry. It is planted all across Canada and is extremely robust. Where other raspberry cultivars rely on unique selling points and specializations, Souris is just generally a great raspberry.
Souris is cold hardy and resistant to disease and spider mites. Its berries are deliciously sweet and tart while colourful, great for U-pick operations, fresh eating, or using in products such as jams and pies. They can be a bit softer than other raspberry varieties.
The Souris Raspberry is a fast-growing floricane. This means that raspberries will not grow on canes the year they first grow. The mature canes they do grow on, however, produce more berries than primocane varieties.