Summer-bearing
Nova Raspberry is a cold-hardy red raspberry from Nova Scotia that brings together winter resilience and generous yields in a single, productive plant. Released in 1980 from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College breeding program, this cultivar grows 3 to 6 feet tall and thrives in hardiness zones 4 through 7, making it accessible to gardeners across much of North America. Its firm, bright-red berries ripen from mid-June into July, offering an extended harvest window that rewards both home gardeners and commercial growers alike.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-7
72in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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Nova earns its reputation through a combination of cold hardiness and disease resistance that few raspberries match. The firm, bright-red berries hold their shape and flavor through harvest and storage, and the plant's adaptable fruiting habit means you can manage it either as a traditional primocane or floricane crop depending on your pruning approach. For gardeners in colder climates, Nova removes the guesswork about winter survival.
Nova berries are eaten fresh and preserve well, their firm texture and bright color making them excellent for jams, freezing, and fresh-market sales. The cultivar's suitability for both home gardens and commercial u-pick operations reflects its reliable productivity and customer appeal.
Plant bare-root or canned Nova raspberries in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in fall before the first hard frost. Space plants 2 to 3 feet apart in rows 6 feet wide. Dig a hole large enough to spread the roots, set the plant at the same depth it was growing, and water thoroughly to settle the soil.
Pick Nova berries when they turn fully bright red and come away easily from the plant with a gentle tug. Harvest every 2 to 3 days once the peak season begins in mid-June through July, as this encourages continued production. The firm texture allows careful handling without crushing, making Nova suitable for fresh market sales or home storage.
Nova's adaptable fruiting habit allows flexible pruning. For primocane production (summer and fall berries on first-year canes), cut all canes to the ground in late winter. For floricane production (summer berries only, on second-year canes), remove only the canes that fruited the previous summer, cutting them at ground level after harvest. Either approach works; choose based on when you want berries and your climate's frost dates.
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“Nova was developed intentionally to solve a real problem: breeding a red raspberry tough enough for northern climates without sacrificing yield or fruit quality. Released in 1980 from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College breeding program, it emerged from a cross of Southland and Boyne, two proven cultivars selected to combine the best traits of each parent. The variety's origins in Nova Scotia reflect its purpose: a raspberry bred from the ground up for the cold winters and challenging conditions of Atlantic Canada.”