Blackberry Rubus idaeus subsp. idaeus
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Blackberry:
- Phonetic Spelling
- ROO-bus ee-DAY-us ee-DAY-us
- Description
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Red raspberry is an erect to spreading, perennial shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae), primarily grown for its tasty, edible fruits. This subspecies is native to temperate Europe and northern Asia. The species and subspecies epithet were unexplained by the author but likely refer to the nymph Idaea of Greek mythology.
Red raspberry grows 3 to 9 feet tall and wide. It prefers organically rich, slightly acidic, moist but well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. It is intolerant of wet soils, which can cause root rot. Propagate by division or stem cutting. Information on raspberry cultivation for home gardeners is available in the NC State Extension publication Raspberries in the Home Garden.
First-year canes (stems) bear only leaves, while lateral second-year canes produce flowers and fruits. Flowers bloom in clusters in spring but are occasionally solitary, and are generally white but sometimes pink to rosy-purple. Fruits ripen in summer. There are many cultivars available with improved fruit and taste that are appropriate for the home garden. Be sure to check the chill hour requirements before planting. Most raspberries do best in the north or in the mountains.
Because it is a low-lying, thorny shrub and can easily spread to form a thorny thicket, red raspberry requires some care and maintenance in a home garden setting. If properly cared for, it can be used as a barrier or screen for privacy. It also works well in a recreational play area or children’s garden. Because its flowers and fruit attract pollinators and wildlife, it is perfect for a butterfly or pollinator garden.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Spotted wing drosophila can be a problem. Cane borers and crown borers are potentially serious insect pests. Anthracnose, botrytis, root rot and other fungal diseases can cause serious problems and may require treatment. It is also weedy.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rubus
- Species:
- idaeus
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- A dye can be obtained from the fruit that is a pink-purple to dull blue color.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe, Northern Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts pollinators, bees, and butterflies with its nectar. Fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals and plants provide cover.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- Fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and delicious when eaten out of hand. The fruit is also used in pies, preserves, and in wines. A herb tea is made from the dried leaves and some say that a type of tea made from raspberry and blackberry leaves is an excellent coffee substitute.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 9 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 9 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Prickles
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- 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:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Aggregate
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Botanically the fruits are not berries (though they are usually called berries)– they are instead made of many small drupes. The fruits hold together in a hollow cone.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Bracts
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are in clusters, but are occasionally solitary. Each flower has five petals, five sepals, five bracts, numerous stamens, and several pistils clustered on a cone-shaped core known as a receptacle. Flower blooms from April to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Serrate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Red raspberry leaves are usually pinnately divided into 3-5 leaflets, infrequently undivided, with pleated wrinkles. Undersides are lighter and fuzzy. Petioles have prickles.
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Bark:
- Bark Description:
- Bark tends not to peel with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems lack the hairs that subsp strigosus has. However, there are prickles
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
- Weedy
