Virginia Tech Dendrology

purple flowering raspberry Rosaceae Rubus odoratus L. symbol: RUOD
Leaf: Alternate, simple, maple-like, 3 to 5 lobes, coarsely serrated, hairless to velvety hairy, 5 to 10 inches long, green above.
Flower: Very attractive, purple, 5 petals, 1 to 2 inches across, appear in early summer.
Fruit: Multiple of drupes, red, dry and tasteless, ripen in mid to late summer.
Twig: Thornless, but more or less bristly hairy, leaf bases remain on twigs in the fall. Twig tips usually die back in winter.
Bark: Light brown, older stems exfoliate into papery strips.
Form: Rambling shrub that may reach up to 5 feet tall.
Looks like: thimbleberry

Additional Range Information: Rubus odoratus is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information