Blackcap Raspberry (Rubus leucodermis)

This year is the first time I've experienced the amazing, delicious, and wonderus flavor of these delicate native raspberries! Their sublime flavor has inspired the food industry's attempted re-creation in numerous processed foods. The one that I immediately thought of while trail snacking on my first Blackcaps was Frankenberry (even if Frankenberry is supposed to be strawberry). While thorny, it has lovely and delicate looking leaves and each cane is covered with a gorgeous white-green bark. Unfortunately, this year I failed to get photos of the pretty white flowers or the dark purple-red fruit of this lovely bramble. By the time I got back to the little thicket the berries not picked off by the wildlife had dried out and shriveled. These fruits are loved by the wildlife! Birds, bears, and little mammals adore these fruits so much that it was difficult to locate berries to photograph.

Blackcap's can grow in full sun to part shade. They're pretty drought tolerant once established, but appreciate moisture in well draining soil. Many of the Blackcap plants I saw while hiking were growing in the full sun of a few clear cuts, and sprawling/trellising on woody slash piles. I expect this discarded clear cut wood was acting as nurse logs for the brambles. Growing conditions that can easily be duplicated in the home garden with wood chips, piled branch clippings, or even a stump from a removed tree (drill the stump and turn it into a planter!).

Each packet contains 75 seeds and germination instructions are included.

Blackcap Raspberry at a glance

• Ave. growth dimensions - Arching/trailing 6 feet tall x 3+ feet wide
• Dormancy - Winter deciduous
• Plant type - Shrub
• Sun - Sun - shade
• Water - Moisture loving, though drought tolerant (heavily mulched with wood chips would be beneficial)
• Flowering time - April - May
• Flower color - White- very light pink
• Soil preference - Sand, clay, and soils with poor drainage