Cut-leaf blackberry is a perennial shrub in the Roseaceae (rose) family that typically grows to 6 feet high and 8 feet wide but can reach width of up to 30 feet. It is found on woodland edges and clearings and has prickly reddish stems with recurved thorns. White flowers bloom from July to August, followed by the ripened fruit from August to September. The fruits start red, but turn black when ripe. This species is a blackberry with biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock. The stems start off upright and then curve to touch the ground. These stems fruit in their second year and then die off. The plant does well in moist soil of various textures (sand, clay or loam) and a variety of pH conditions. Prefers well-drained soil and dappled shade to full sun. It has a rapid growth rate, can become weedy and can form thickets that reduce germination of native plant species. Information on blackberry cultivation for home gardeners is available in the NC State Extension publication Blackberries for the Home Garden . Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. It is listed as an invasive species in some states. 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 idaeusRubus idaeus subsp. idaeusRubus idaeus subsp. strigosus
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | 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; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High; Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Lobed
Leaf feel
Prickly
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are bright green above and pale hairy below composed of 3 to 5 leaflets with toothed margins.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower detail
White 5-petaled flowers appear from April to August.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Aggregate
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Ripe fruit appears from August to September. The fruits are red when immature, black when ripe and about .75 inch in diameter. Stems fruit in their second year and then die off.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Reddish stems with recurved prickles; biennial stems produce new stems annually from the perennial rootstock; stems start upright then curve to touch the ground.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Eurasia
Wildlife value
The fruits of this plant are consumed by a number of birds and mammals. The thickets provide cover for animals. This plant provides nectar for pollinators.
Attracts
Pollinators; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Aggregate
Edibility
Fruit is juicy and flavorful and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Edible Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Security
Garden tags
#semi-evergreen #showy flowers #shrub #edible fruits #edible garden #nectar plant late spring #nectar plant early summer #nectar plant mid-spring #high maintenance #pollinator plant #perennial #wildlife friendly #weedy #thicket