Mountaintop Blackberry
Rubus canadensis
- Native to:
- Canada, Prince Edward I., United States
John W. Harshberger,Quinn Dombrowski (quinn.anya) (www.flickr.com),M.S. (en.wikipedia.org) del., J.N.Fitch (en.wikipedia.org) lith.,Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 279. Courtesy of Kentucky Native Plant Society.,quinn.anya (www.flickr.com),Unknown author Unknown author,Mohl, Hugo von, 1805-1872 Schlechtendal, D. F. L. von (Diederich Franz Leonhard), 1794-1866,De Ram, Pierre François Xavier, 1804-1865
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Rubus
- Species:
- Rubus canadensis
- USDA Symbol:
- RUMO5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Subshrub
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Io moth (Automeris io), Old Man Dart (Agrotis vetusta)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, butterflies, bees
- Fall Color:
- red, purple
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crowns after fire. Often increases in abundance following disturbance.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–120 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require warm stratification (60-90 days) followed by cold stratification (90-120 days). Scarification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: Claude AI