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Rubus rolfei

Previously known as:

  • Rubus calycinoides
  • Rubus hayata-koidzumii
  • Rubus pentalobus
Phonetic Spelling
ROO-bus ROL-fee-eye
Description

The genus Rubus includes blackberry, dewberry, and raspberry and most members of the genus share the traits of thorny or bristly stems and compound leaves. Flowers and fruits also appear on last season’s canes (branches), seldom on new shoots, which means one must be cautious when pruning and not remove the canes that will yield next year's berries. There are differences, however, among species; for example, some are erect or arching shrubs up to 8 feet high and others trail on the ground like vines. Some, such as dewberries, produce fruits in the spring while blackberries and raspberries fruit during the summer. In general, genus Rubus contains some of the most important plants for wildlife in the southeast.

Rubus rolfei is perfect for hot, dry, erodible slopes or a ditch where moisture fluctuates. This groundcover thrives in difficult conditions that other plants cannot tolerate. It is a perennial from Taiwan that grows 1 to 3 inches tall with crinkly, deep-green leaves providing needed texture in lightly shaded areas. It is in the Roseaceae family and commonly known as creeping raspberry, but it is sometimes listed as Rubus calycinoides or Rubus pentalobus

White flowers appear in mid-summer, but they are generally difficult to spot among the foliage. Creeping raspberry fruits are similar to blackberries or red raspberries, with their delicious flavor and aggregate shape but their color is yellow to salmon to red. The plant grows quickly forming a low growing dense carpet of leaves and in the fall and winter, those leaves turn subtle rusty pink in color. This groundcover is considered aggressive, but not invasive. It will not climb trees or smother nearby shrubs and can be managed easily with an edger. Space creeping raspberry plants 4 to 6 feet apart, allowing them plenty of room.

Creeping raspberry adapts well to containers and tumbles easily over rock walls, providing a “spilling over” effect. Bulbs or other perennials are able to pop up through the foliage to create interesting compositions. The cultivar ‘Emerald Carpet’ forms a low, dense, evergreen groundcover bearing textured, dark green leaves through the growing season. In the cooler months these leaves are blushed with burgundy tones. Alternatively, the cultivar ‘Golden Quilt’ is a branch sport that bears striking golden-yellow leaves that are especially prominent on the new growth of the season.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No known problems.

More information on Rubus.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Emerald Carpet'
  • 'Green Carpet'
'Emerald Carpet', 'Green Carpet'
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#year-round interest#deer resistant#groundcover#rock garden#pollinator plant#nectar plant late spring#nectar plant early summer#nectar plant midspring#perennial#wildlife friendly#woodland
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Emerald Carpet'
  • 'Green Carpet'
'Emerald Carpet', 'Green Carpet'
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#year-round interest#deer resistant#groundcover#rock garden#pollinator plant#nectar plant late spring#nectar plant early summer#nectar plant midspring#perennial#wildlife friendly#woodland
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Rubus
    Species:
    rolfei
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Taiwan
    Wildlife Value:
    This plant provides nectar for pollinators.
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    deer resistant
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 0 ft. 3 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Creeping
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Type:
    Aggregate
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    .5 inch bright red blackberry-like fruit.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are borne in mid-summer, but they are Inconspicuous and generally lost in the foliage and not prominent. Blooms from April to June.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Pink
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Quickly forms a dense carpet. Ivy-shaped crinkly shiny dark green leaves with three to five lobes; deeply furrowed; copper fall color; densely branched In the fall and winter, foliage transforms to subtle rusts and pinks.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Edible Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Mass Planting
    Attracts:
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Dry Soil
    Erosion
    Heat