Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ROO-bus speck-TAB-ih-liss
- Description
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Salmonberry is a woodland thicket-forming shrub in the Rosaceae (rose) family native to the western U.S.A. and Canada. It is found in low, moist woods, stream banks and mt. slopes in moist to dry sites in sun to shade and can spread aggressively. It has high value as a food source for pollinators, mammals and songbirds and the thickets provide nesting sites and protection. It grows 3- 12 feet tall with erect to arching stems that have many prickles, especially on the ends of new growth.
The bright pink flowers in the early spring to early summer are followed by an aggregate drupe that looks like yellow to red raspberries. The berries and young leaves are both edible for humans raw or cooked.
Information on blackberry cultivation for home gardeners is available in the NC State Extension publication Blackberries for the Home Garden.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rubus
- Species:
- spectabilis
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Fruits were used by Native Americans and the plant was used as an astringent.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Layering
- Root Cutting
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Western Canada and the U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AK, CA, ID, OR, WA Canada: BC
- Wildlife Value:
- Important nectar source for pollinators. Birds and small mammals eat the fruits. Deer, elk and rabits will browse the leaves and stems. Thickets provide nesting sites and protection for birds and mammals.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Wildlife Nesting
- Edibility:
- Fruits are edible fresh or cooked. Young shoots are eaten raw or cooked.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Appendage:
- Prickles
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Aggregate
- Drupe
- Fruit Description:
- Yellow to orange to red fruits
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Up to 1.5 inches, magenta-pink flowers with 5 petals bloom from March to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Hairs Present:
- No
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- New growth has prickles and in winter turn golden-brown to rust-red color.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Erosion
- Problems:
- Weedy
