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Nurseries & Gardens

Photo by Walter Siegmund

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Buy Rubus spectabilis

Also Known As

Salmonberry

Plant type

shrub, fruit / vegetable

size

H: 3'-10'
W: 3'-10'

planting zones

5a-9b

quart - bare root | $11.67

Shipping flat rate $12

Fewer than 2 at Red Panda Nursery

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Rubus spectabilis plant details

Rubus spectabilis is a broadleaf deciduous fruit / vegetable or shrub with green foliage. In spring magenta flowers emerge followed by orange, red and yellow fruit. Attracts bees and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - shade and even moisture - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers to be dry in summer. Does well in average and well-drained soil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Rubus spectabilis

Plant type: fruit / vegetable or shrub
Plant family: rosaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 3 FT - 10 FT - wide, 3 FT - 10 FT - tall
Flowers: magenta blooms in spring
Uses: bare root shipping available, thicket forming

GROWING CONDITIONS for Rubus spectabilis

USDA Zones: 5a - 9b
Sun exposure: sun - shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - low

Soil needs: average and well-drained

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Nursery contributed plant descriptions

A medium-sized, only slightly prickly shrub which bears deep-pink flowers and yellow to salmon-colored edible (but tart) fruits. S-PSh/M

By: Forestfarm

An ornamental purple-flowering raspberry! Salmonberries, Rubus spectabilis, is a fast-growing vine native to the Pacific coast and is primarily found in the Cascade mountain range. It produces bright pink and purple flowers in the spring which are following by bright red-orange raspberries which ripen earlier than the fruit on most other species. When ripe the fruit are sweet and very juicy but before fully ripe they can be quite tart so be sure to wait to pick them until they turn from green.

Salmonberry plants establish quickly and typically fruit in 1-2 years from our 16-18' size, they are also self-fertile so a single plant can produce fruit. They are tolerant of growing in very wet soils and can be found growing in wetlands but will typically fruit better when grown under normal garden conditions. Salmonberries are adapted to growing in shade and is one of the few plants that bear fruit in shady locations, although at least part sun will yield sweeter fruit than plants in full shade. In very hot climates avoid planting these in full sun locations.

This species is naturally far less thorny than other raspberry species, typically the prickles are short and spaced far apart which makes handling easy. Most of the canes don't seem to have any prickles at all and when digging out bare root plants in the fall we don't need to use gloves for handling like other raspberry varieties.