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Rubus odoratus (Purpleflowering raspberry)
Vick, Albert F. W.

Rubus odoratus L.

Purpleflowering raspberry, Purple-flowering raspberry, Thimbleberry

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

USDA Symbol: RUOD

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A suckering shrub, 3-6 ft. high and 6-12 ft. wide which forms broad patches. Five-lobed, maple-like, dark green leaves become pale yellow in fall. Large, pinkish-purple flowers occur singly or in few-flowered clusters. Fruit is a broadly rounded, red to purple berry. Canes are thornless, yellow- to orange-brown, and exfoliating. This erect, shrubby, thornless plant has rose-lavender flowers in loose clusters; new branches have bristly hairs.

Thimbleberry (R. parviflorus), with very similar white flowers and similar but smaller leaves, occurs from Alaska to Mexico and northeast to Ontario. Baked-apple Berry (R. chamaemorus), is a dwarf form only 12 (30 cm) tall, with a solitary white flower, an amber-colored berry, and leaves similar to the above, but smaller. It is found on mountaintops in New England and northward into Canada. All other species in the East have compound leaves and usually spiny stems.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit: Red
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , GA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: NS , ON , QC
Native Distribution: S. ME to MI, s. to NC & TN; also n. IL
Native Habitat: Moist, shady places; woods edges
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Gravelly, sandy, or deep forest loams.
Conditions Comments: Thimbleberry spreads rapidly from creeping, underground stems and can become a nuisance, but is a striking plant for large wooded areas. Relatively immune to pests and diseases. Berries are insipid, but edible.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Very high for songbirds, game birds, and large and small mammals.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Fragrant Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees
Special Value to Honey Bees
Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Information about propagation by seed or cuttings is scarce because plants are so easily obtained by digging up suckers.
Seed Collection: Rubus fruits should be collected as soon as ripe to prevent losses to birds. The seeds can be extracted by macerating in water.
Seed Treatment: The hard, impermeable seed coat needs scarification. Both H2SO4 and sodium hypochlorite have been used. Scarification is sometimes followed by a complex combination of warm and cold stratification.
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Amandas Garden - Springwater, NY
American Native Nursery - Quakertown, PA
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rubus odoratus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rubus odoratus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rubus odoratus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-12-09
Research By: TWC Staff

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