Black raspberry is a native, deciduous perennial shrub in the Roseaceae family. It is common in the mountains, but scarce in the Piedmont and coastal plain of North Carolina. It can be found specifically along roadsides, in woodlands, and disturbed areas. If planted in sites that are sunny and dry, the fruit may not develop properly without adequate rain. The canes also fail to set fruit if there is too much shade. The canes start out growing erect to about 6 feet long in the first year, but eventually arch sideways and down and can reach the ground. Black raspberry prefers partial sun and moist, highly organic soil. This plant is heat tolerant. The white flowers are followed by edible purple-black fruits in summer that can be eaten raw or cooked.. The plant provides year-round cover and attracts pollinators, birds and mammals to the flowers and fruits. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own. Read more about best practices for stem-nesting bees in this NC Extension publication . Use this plant in an edible garden or naturalized area. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: Other than honey fungus, to which most Rubus species are susceptible, there are few problems. 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.
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
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Cordate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Doubly Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Trifoliate, alternate leaves with toothed margins.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Cyme; Raceme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Not very showy. White, five-petaled flowers. Second-year canes develop short branches that terminate in flowers. Flowers bloom from April to June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
This compound drupe is initially white, later becomes red, and finally turns black-purple when it is mature. Each drupe consists of multiple drupelets, each drupelet containing a single seed. Fruits are available June-July.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Canes are initially green, hairless, and glaucous, but later turn brown and woody during the winter. Scattered along the length of each cane are prickles that are short and curved. The powdery bloom on the stem can give it a ghostly white appearance.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Wildlife value
This plant provides nectar for pollinators. Excellent cover for small mammals and birds. Blooms attract pollinators. Fruits are eaten by songbirds, mammals, and black bears. During the winter, birds and small mammals eat the seeds left from rotted fruit. Dead stems are used by stem-nesting bees.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Drupe
Edibility
The fleshy fruits are sweet and slightly tart in flavor; they detach cleanly and easily from their receptacles. Excellent flavor.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Flavorful fruit can be eaten raw or cooked as a topping, filling, or jam. It is of variable quality, with the finest forms having a rich acid flavor. Young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked like rhubarb. They are harvested as they emerge through the soil in the spring while they are still tender, and then peeled. A tea is made from the leaves or from the bark of the root.