About Rubus odoratus L.
Rubus odoratus L., commonly called purple-flowered raspberry, flowering raspberry, or Virginia raspberry, is a species in the genus Rubus. It is native to eastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia west to Ontario and Wisconsin, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and Alabama. It is occasionally called thimbleberry, though this name is more commonly used for the related North American species Rubus parviflorus.
This plant is a thornless shrub that grows up to 3 metres (10 ft) tall. Unlike many other Rubus species, it has perennial rather than biennial stems. Its leaves are palmately lobed, most often with five lobes, and rarely with three or seven. They can grow up to 25 cm (10 in) long and wide, and look superficially similar to maple leaves. The flowers are 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) in diameter, with five petals that are usually magenta, or occasionally white. Flowers are produced from early spring to early fall. The red, edible fruit matures in late summer to early autumn. It resembles a large, flat raspberry with many drupelets, and has a fuzzy texture on both the skin and the tongue.
Rubus odoratus is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, valued for its showy flowers and long flowering period. It prefers partial shade, rich slightly acidic soil, and moderate water. It has become locally naturalized in parts of Washington state, Vermont, and Europe, most notably in south eastern England.
