About
A woody-stemmed evergreen climber with long sparsely thorny stems. it has tri-foliate leaves which are each long and slender, green above and pale below, sometimes with pinkish veins and stems. The flowers are pink and develop into small black fruits with white or pink sepals which look quite flower-like.
About the genus
Rubus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, often scrambling with bristly or prickly stems bearing simple, lobed, palmate or pinnate leaves and 5-petalled flowers followed by juicy, sometimes edible fruits
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing, Spreading branched, Suckering
FoliageEvergreen
Height4-8 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden
Native toCentral China
Care notes
CultivationTrain to wires on the sheltered side of a fence or wall, in any fertile soil in sun or partial shade
PruningPrune out older stems to the ground to allow space to tie in new ones
PropagationPropagate by tip layering in autumn
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to grey moulds and honey fungus (rarely)