Alina Zienowicz Ala z · CC BY-SA 3.0
Black Raspberry
Shrub·Rubus occidentalis
Full sun
Sun
Medium
Water
Well-drained soil
Drainage
Zones 4–8
Hardiness
Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) is a shrub. It grows best in full sun and has moderate water needs.
Through the year
DormantLeafing outReady to harvestDying back
Works well with
from wiki dataNo companions recorded.
WHAT IT NEEDS
Wants full sun
Needs moderate water
Needs well-drained soil
Prefers soil pH 5.5–7
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Prefers loam, sandy loam soil
Struggles in compacted soil
Draws up potassium, calcium from deep in the soil
Adds a moderate amount of organic matter to the soil
Partners with mycorrhizal fungi to boost nutrient uptake
WHAT IT GIVES
Gives fruit (edible berries)
Gives mulch biomass (moderate)
Gives habitat (shelter for wildlife)
Provides potassium
Provides calcium
Attracts pollinators
Attracts birds
Attracts mammals
Shelters wildlife
HOW IT GROWS
SIZE & SPACING
Shrub layer
Height150–250 cm
Spacing90 cm (min 60 cm)
Root depthMedium
Width90–150 cm
Width figures are rough estimates, the most variable measurement in our data.
AI estimate · accuracy improves as growers contribute corrections.
HOW TO PROPAGATE
Propagate by seeds, cuttings, tip layering
Difficulty
Establishes in about 1 yr
Self-seeds readily on its own
Where this comes from
Parsed11 Sept 2026
ConfidenceNot recorded
Photograph Alina Zienowicz Ala z · CC BY-SA 3.0