Rubus leucodermis

Common Names

Whitebark Raspberry, Blackcap Raspberry, Western Raspberry, Black Raspberry, Blue Raspberry, Blackcap

Summary

Blackcap Raspberry is a native Western North American deciduous shrub-vine with arching canes reaching up to about 6 ft, armed with recurved prickles and a whitish waxy bloom on older stems; leaves are palmately compound, usually 3–5 leaflets with serrate margins; flowers are white to pink; fruits are edible drupes that mature red to reddish-purple and then dark purple to black, often forming dense thickets in fields and open woodlands.

It prefers full sun to part shade and well-drained loam with regular water; self-fertile and deer resistant; hardy to USDA zones 5–8; propagation by seed stratification, cuttings, layering, or division; pruning involves biennial canes, removing dead canes and maintaining 4–6 main fruiting canes with lateral branches pruned to 8–10 buds; edible berries used raw or cooked in jams and pies, and the leaves brew a vitamin C–rich tea; habitat includes fields and open woodlands.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3 ft 6 in – 10 ft

Spread

6-8 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-draining soil.

Soil pH

5.6-7.3

Bloom Color

White to pink, primarily white with pink variation, occasional light purple

Bloom Time

Spring to early Summer

Foliage Color

Green with white undersides.

Fall Foliage Color

Red, Gold, Brown

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering, Sprigs, Bare root

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, Attracts butterflies, Attracts other pollinators