Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Rubus

Species:

Rubus aculiferus

USDA Symbol:

RUAC5

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Subshrub

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun

Bloom Colors:

white

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; typical of Rubus species.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers forest edges and open woodlands

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds require cold stratification; germination can be erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI