# red raspberry (*Rubus idaeus*) Red raspberries are sweet, juicy fruits that grow on thorny bushes. They are bright red and are often used in yummy desserts and snacks! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Raspberry ![red raspberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Raspberry_-_whole_%28Rubus_idaeus%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raspberry_-_whole_%28Rubus_idaeus%29.jpg) ## Appearance The red raspberry is a thorny shrub with arching, reddish-brown canes and green, serrated leaves that are whitish underneath. Its small, five-petaled white flowers develop into clusters of bright red, juicy aggregate fruits, each covered in fine, tiny hairs. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rubus ## Interesting facts - Ancient people thought eating wild raspberries helped cure ailments! - Each raspberry is actually a cluster of tiny fruits called drupelets! - Raspberries get their vibrant red color from powerful natural pigments! - The stems of raspberry plants are called 'canes' and can live for two years! ## Special abilities - **Thorny Protector:** Red raspberry has sharp prickles on its canes that help it defend against hungry animals trying to eat its leaves and fruits. - **Spreading Roots:** Red raspberry can grow underground runners called suckers that help it spread and create new plants over a wider area. - **Two-Year Fruit Cycle:** Red raspberry has canes that grow in the first year and produce fruit in the second, helping it consistently bear berries. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 150-250 cm - **Spread:** 50-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar, helping the plant make seeds. - **Eats:** [American robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Enjoys the berries and helps spread the seeds. - **Eats:** American black bear (*Ursus americanus*) — Feasts on ripe raspberries in late summer. - **Eats:** [white-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on the leaves and young raspberry canes. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Thorny Stem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thorny-stem): Pertaining to plants that have stems covered with sharp, pointed projections for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash raspberries before eating them to keep them clean! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify red raspberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is red raspberry? 150-250 cm ### How wide does red raspberry spread? 50-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on red raspberry? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does red raspberry bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is red raspberry edible? Yes ### Is red raspberry toxic? None ### What is red raspberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Lilacia Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lilacia-park) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Gakona Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gakona-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Denbigh Experimental Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/denbigh-experimental-forest) — North Dakota, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort Clark Trading Post State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-clark-trading-post-state-historic-site) — North Dakota, US · Historic Site - [Kennecott](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennecott) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Sawtooth Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sawtooth-botanical-garden) — Idaho, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see red raspberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-raspberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Red Raspberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-raspberry)