Rubus fruticosus agg.
blackberry
Vigorous, thorny scramblers with pink or white flowers in summer followed by edible, aromatic black fruit. The dark green leaves with three leaflets can provide good autumn tints. It is a valuable plant for wildlife, providing food and shelter. It is also an original parent of all cultivated blackberries and modern hybrids
Synonyms
Rubus plicatus
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
Wider than 8 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink White | Green | ||
| Autumn | Orange Red | Black | ||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or East–facing or South–facing or North–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to the UK
- Yes
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Trailing
- Genus
Rubus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, often scrambling with bristly or prickly stems bearing simple, lobed, palmate or pinnate leaves and 5-petalled flowers followed by juicy, sometimes edible fruits
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Europe
How to grow
Cultivation
Can be fan-trained to provide fruit, but more suited to a wildlife garden. Tolerates most soils and situations, but need sun to flower and fruit well. May have the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well. See also blackberry cultivation for more advice
Propagation
Propagate by seed or by tip layering, which it does naturally
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Wildlife gardens
- Edible fruit
Pruning
Cutting out old canes, and shortening new ones, helps retain some measure of control but plants may need cutting to the ground every few years
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be susceptible to grey moulds and honey fungus (rarely)
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.