Rubus odoratus L.
Purple-flowering raspberry, flowering raspberry
Purple-flowering raspberry is native to eastern North America, where it inhabits moist thickets.
Plants: Purple-flowering raspberries are deciduous shrubs 3–6′ high ⨉ 3–5′ wide (91–182 ⨉ 91–152 cm). Young branches have many fine thorns, while older woody branches do not. Instead, they have bark that peels easily.
Leaves: Large palmate leaves to 10″ (25 cm) around typically have five lobes (sometimes 3 or 7), resembling maple leaves, significantly different from raspberry or blackberry leaves.
Flowers: Purplish-pink flowers are up to 1–2″ (2.5–5 cm) across, with five rounded, partially overlapping pink petals and a yellow center.
Fruits: Fruits look much like raspberries, a group of closely spaced round berries, but the group is shaped more like a dome than a thimble. The attractive purple flowers, large maple-like leaves and dome-shaped berries are all good identifiers for this species.
Habitats: Moist thickets.
Edibility: Berries are edible, fairly tart, with good flavor, but extremely seedy. Used for wine, and in pies, jellies, and preserves.
Online References:
7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 6 × 5″ (14 × 13 cm) 
5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 16 × 12″ (41 × 29 cm) 
9/7/2021 · Kennebec River Bridge, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9 cm) 
6/22/2017 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4½″ (15 × 12 cm) 
9/7/2021 · Kennebec River Bridge, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
9/7/2021 · Kennebec River Bridge, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 3½″ (9.6 × 9 cm) 
7/13/2015 · Mt. Ascutney State Park, Ascutney, Vermont · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
9/7/2021 · Kennebec River Bridge, Bowdoinham, Maine 
5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 1 × 1′ (36 × 33 cm) 
6/22/2017 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (21 × 16 cm) 
Immature fruits look rounded, becoming larger and more flattened later. · 7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 5 × 6″ (12 × 14 cm) 
7/13/2015 · Mt. Ascutney State Park, Ascutney, Vermont · ≈ 7 × 6″ (17 × 14 cm) 
7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
9/7/2021 · Kennebec River Bridge, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 4 × 2½″ (10 × 6.7 cm) 
7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine 
9/7/2021 · Kennebec River Bridge, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 5 × 4″ (13 × 10 cm) 
10/16/2016 · Mount Everett, Mt. Washington, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 16 cm) 
9/7/2021 · Kennebec River Bridge, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Rosales | Rose family and eight others |
| Family | Rosaceae | Includes apples, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, almonds, roses, meadowsweets, photinias, firethorns, rowans, and hawthorns; many others |
| Genus | Rubus | Latin for “bramble” or “blackberry” |
| Species | odoratus | From Latin odorata, “fragrant, sweet-smelling” |
Rubus odoratus description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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