When I chose my raspberry canes last year, I knew I wanted canes that were fall-baring without thorns. I ended up choosing Joan J's.
I wanted fall-bearing because you can prune them in early spring to produce in early summer and fall. Double the yield! Thornless varieties are great for easy picking for children, and littles want to pick so frequently that you don't have to worry about birds getting to them first. I often use them as a transitional/redirection tool to get us home. "Oh! We have to check if there are any raspberries!)
The same year my neighbor's summer-baring raspberry canes traveled under my fence to my partial-shade garden. I wasn't sure if they would produce any berries since it is so shady, but there are certainly some raspberries that are waiting to ripen. They have thorns, but I'm hopeful that the variety will create an arch of canes that take turns producing.
Raspberries were a treat that my paternal great grandparents always had at their house in the summer, and I remember picking and eating them right off the cane. I don't remember if they were thornless or with thorns, but I use my memory of their raspberries to test all raspberries. My Joan J's are the ones that taste as tangy and sweet at my great grandparent's, and they are equal in size. If you're on the look out for raspberries that are flavorful, sweet, thornless, fall-baring, large, and easy to freeze and bake with, I'd say they would be a good choice!
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