Black Raspberry

Rubus occidentalis

Black Raspberry is a native cane fruit of eastern North America easily distinguished from blackberries by its hollow fruit and glaucous, arching canes that root at their tips. The small, intensely flavored berries ripen earlier than most blackberries and are rich in anthocyanins. It tends to grow in drier, more upland sites than other Rubus species and often forms dense colonies from tip-rooting. The species has long been collected by Indigenous peoples and is increasingly studied for its antioxidant properties.

Habitat

Woodland edges, thickets, hillsides, and rocky slopes across the eastern half of North America.

Diet

Berries a major summer food for Black Bears, Eastern Box Turtles, and many songbird species; flowers pollinated by native bees.

How common

Common