Woolly Blackberry

Rubus aetnicus

Native to:
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, East Aegean Is., France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Rubus
Species:
Rubus aetnicus
USDA Symbol:
RUTO2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Subshrub
Height:
100 cm
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may,jun,jul
Bloom Colors:
white

Keystone Species Ranking

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
native to volcanic slopes, prefers fertile soils

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
Germination Time:
14–60 days
Notes:
Cold stratification improves germination rates. Seeds may exhibit erratic germination over several months.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI