The raspberry is a perennial shrub that produces sweet, red edible fruits. The species is split into two main varieties, Rubus idaeus var. idaeus (European raspberry) which is native to Eurasia and Rubus idaeus var. strigosus (American red raspberry) which is native to a large part of North America. They can be differentiated by the fact that var. strigosus has glandular hairs and peeling bark that var. idaeus lacks and var. idaeus tends to grow in higher, drier uplands. Information on blackberry cultivation for home gardeners is available in the NC State Extension publication Raspberries in the Home Gaden VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Rubus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheRubus idaeus subsp. idaeusRubus idaeus subsp. strigosusVaccinium corymbosum
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Erect; Spreading
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Doubly Serrate; Serrate
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf value
Edible
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Red raspberry leaves are usually pinnately divided into 3-5 leaflets, infrequently undivided, with pleated wrinkles. Undersides are lighter and fuzzy.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle; Raceme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
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. Blooms from April to June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Fruit type
Aggregate; Drupe
Fruit value
Edible; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
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. Cultivars exist in various colors and tend to be more productive than the straight species.
Stem color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Stem surface varies with variety– var. strigosus has glandular hairs while var. idaeus lacks them.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Attracts pollinators, bees, and butterflies for its nectar. Fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals and plants provide cover.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
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. An 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.