I found this bush with purplish flowers along a country road in upstate NY. I've never seen one like this before and was wondering what it is. There was never a house located in that area to my knowledge so I am assuming it is a wild variety.
Rubus odoratus doesn't have thorns and is a New York native: http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/ruod.htm
I checked a couple of field guides. The purple-flowering raspberry has no thorns. Here's what F. Schuyler Mathews writes: "A shrubby roadside species ... wild-roselike flower of five broad petals ... large maplelike leaves ,,, the stem is covered with short red or brown bristly hairs; the flower-stalks are particularly red." Peterson and McKenny say the stems are "sticky-hairy".
That's what it is....Rubus Ordoratus (purple wild raspberry) I live north of Belleville, Ontario, Canada and it grows all over. I transplanted some in my yard and we eat the fruit. A very hardy plant....does very well, withstands dry conditions. I just found out that some of the nurseries are now selling it.
Hi, be carefull, Rubus odoratus spreads by offshoots ( runners ? - please tell me which expression is right ). They often reach more than 2 feet under the surface. They may be a problem in beds with rich soil. Bye hermann
That's prefect for me....we live on 2 acres and I put the transplanted wild raspberries around a raised deck. They work great, for consealing under the deck. In fact, we're going out to get more plants because it is so easy to care for.
