Shrubs of the Genus Rubus

Ranges

• Rubus grow all over the world, including every region of the U.S. and throughout Canada. Different species have their preferred ranges, but they often overlap so that more than one species may be present in any given region. Blackberries and raspberries are also produced commercially, with blackberries growing on nearly every continent. Blackberries are rich in antioxidants, in the forms of vitamins A and C, and they are among the most popular of what are known as brambleberries.

Growth Patterns

• Much like roses, the Rubus shrubs have a specific growth pattern. They produce branches or canes that can grow from 3 to 6 feet high and are usually studded with thorns or prickles. The prefer wetlands and areas of high moisture, and they often grow in bogs, swamps and other varieties of wetland. They're a tenacious plant, and some are considered weeds. Often called brambles, Rubus shrubs have also been used historically to create botanical barriers.

Flowers

• Because most Rubus produce berries, they also produce flowers in order to attract pollinators. Their flowers are usually white or pink, with five to seven petals surrounding a yellow center. Rubus idaeus, the raspberry, has a flower that is surrounded by star-shaped leaves and produces small, delicate petals around a cluster of stamens at the center. Rubus chamaemorus, or cloudberry, produces flowers with larger, more rounded petals. They're white with yellow centers, and they resemble pansies.

Commercial Growers

• There are commercial growers all over the world, most often producing blackberries and raspberries. Rubus are also relatively easy to hybridize, so it's common for two species of Rubus to be combined in order to produce new berry varieties, such as loganberries or marionberries, which are the most commonly grown of all blackberries. In Norway, studies are under way to determine the potential for commercialization of the cloudberry, which is a popular dessert fruit that has a taste distinct from other brambleberries.