Whitebark Raspberry

Rubus leucodermis

Native to:
Canada, Mexico, United States

📍 View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Rubus
Species:
Rubus leucodermis
USDA Symbol:
RULE

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Subshrub , Vine
Height:
250 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
apr,may,jun
Bloom Colors:
white
Food Forest:
Contains edible parts
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

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

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals, bees
Fall Color:
yellow
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts vigorously from root crown following fire. Often increases in abundance after low to moderate intensity burns.

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:
prefers organic matter-rich soils

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 have double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Scarification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: Sow seeds into trays filled with stabilized medium plugs (Q-plugs). Seal trays inside plastic bags and refrigerate at 33.8 to 37.4 °F for 120 days. Check trays weekly and keep moist. Treat with 1% hydrogen peroxide if mold is evident.

Establishment: Collect ripe fruits (orange or red) by hand from June through August. Store berries in a plastic bag at ~39.2 °F to prevent mold growth.

Source: npn.rngr.net