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Nova Raspberry vs Oregon Grape
Rubus x Nova
Berberis aquifolium (Mahonia aquifolium)
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
Taste is the reason people buy the Nova Raspberry.
Nova canes have very few spines. As it has a firmer berry, it is commonly planted for commercial plantings where a harvester is used.
The Nova Raspberry gets its name from where it was bred, in Nova Scotia. It was created to survive and thrive in the varying climates of Canada.
The Nova 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.
Oregon Grape is an evergreen shrub native to North America, found along the Pacific coast. In spring, the bright golden-yellow flowers appear in clusters above the leaves. These flowers eventually give way to edible blue berries in late summer. While not a true grape, the berries appear grape-like due to their colouring and clustered growth. They can be eaten fresh, but the sour taste and high amounts of natural pectin make them well suited for preserves.
The Oregon Grape has leaves that are glossy, leathery, and spiny-edged. This feature gives it its alternate name of Holly-leaved Barberry. When the leaves emerge in the spring they are a bronze-red colour. In the summer they transition to green, followed by bright red to deep burgundy in the fall. Leaves are retained throughout the winter and colder temperatures cause the leaves to turn purplish bronze, providing year round interest to the landscape.