Rubus odoratus
A native eastern North American deciduous shrub with large maple-like, palmately lobed leaves, long-blooming pink-purple fragrant flowers, and crumbly edible red fruit that spreads by suckers and provides wildlife and pollinator support
Common Names
Purple Flowering Raspberry, Flowering Raspberry, Thimbleberry, Virginia Raspberry
Summary
Rubus odoratus is a native Eastern North American deciduous shrub that forms broad thickets by suckering, with thornless, cane-like stems and large maple-like, palmately lobed leaves, it grows about 3–6 feet tall and 6–12 feet wide, features fragrant pink-purple flowers in June to August, and bears red fruits that are edible but not highly flavorful, it prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soils, tolerates sandy soils but dislikes heavy clay, and is hardy in USDA zones 3–8, the plant is relatively low maintenance but spreads by suckers, prune immediately after fruiting to manage growth, and is well suited for hedges, banks, shade gardens, or naturalized areas, while providing habitat value for birds and pollinators
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
36-72 inches
Spread
6-12 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-8
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally partial shade (semi-shade); can grow in full sun to full shade.
Soil Type
Moist, well-drained loamy soil that is slightly acidic.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
Pink to Purple
Bloom Time
June–August
Foliage Color
Green, pale yellow in fall
Fall Foliage Color
Pale yellow
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast, 1-2 to 2+ feet per year
Seasons of Interest
Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Layering, Division, Cuttings
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 494 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Rosales
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Genus
- Rubus
Synonyms
Bossekia odorata Rubus grandifolius Rubus quinquelobus Rubus odoratus f. albus Rubus odoratus var. albidus Rubacer columbianum Rubus odoratus var. columbianus Rubus odoratus var. odoratus Rubus columbianus Rubus odoratus f. albiflorus Rubus odoratus f. bifarius Rubus odoratus f. glabrifolius Rubus odoratus f. heteradenius Rubus odoratus f. paraheteradenius Rubus odoratus f. parahypomalacus Rubus odoratus f. scopulorum Rubus odoratus var. malachophyllus Rubus odoratus var. normalis Rubus odoratus var. mexicanus Rubus odoratus var. californicus Rubus odoratus f. albus Rubacer odoratum Rubus glandulifolius Rubus odoratus f. hypomalacus