# Salmonberry (*Rubus spectabilis*) Salmonberries are delicious red berries that grow on bushes in forests. They are juicy and sweet, loved by birds and animals. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 30 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Pacific Salmonberry ![Salmonberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Salmonberry_Blossom.jpg&width=800) Photo: David McMaster (= user BlindGoofy ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salmonberry_Blossom.jpg) ## Appearance The Salmonberry is a thorny shrub with vibrant pink to reddish-purple flowers that hang downwards. Its juicy berries ripen in shades from yellow and orange to deep red, resembling large, shiny raspberries. It often forms dense thickets. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rubus ## Interesting facts - Its vibrant berries can be sunshine yellow, fiery orange, or salmon-pink! - Native peoples traditionally ate salmonberries fresh or dried for winter! - Some say its name comes from its berries resembling salmon roe! - This plant is often one of the first berries to ripen in spring! ## Special abilities - **Thorny Protector:** Salmonberry has sharp prickles on its stems that help defend it from hungry animals trying to eat its leaves. - **Underground Network:** Salmonberry can spread rapidly using underground stems called rhizomes, helping it colonize new areas quickly. - **Early Bird Berry:** Salmonberry produces its fruit very early in the season, providing a crucial food source for wildlife when other berries are scarce. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*) — eats the nutritious berries and leaves - **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — enjoys the ripe, juicy berries - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses on its leaves and young shoots - **Pollinates:** Yellow-faced Bumblebee (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Shelter:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — dense thickets provide shelter and nesting sites ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [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. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [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. - [Temperate Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/temperate-rainforest): This habitat trait identifies species found in temperate rainforests, characterized by significant rainfall, mild temperatures, and dense evergreen or deciduous forests in coastal regions. ## Collections - [Fruits](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fruits) - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always check with an adult before eating any berries you find in the wild to make sure they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Salmonberry? 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 Salmonberry? 100-300 cm ### How wide does Salmonberry spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Salmonberry? 2-4 cm ### When does Salmonberry bloom? Spring to early Summer ### Is Salmonberry edible? Yes ### Is Salmonberry toxic? None ### What is Salmonberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chicken Ridge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chicken-ridge-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Saxman Totem Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saxman-totem-park) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Sitka National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sitka-national-historical-park) — US · National Park - [Illahee State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/illahee-state-park) — Washington, US · State Park - [Arena Cove Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arena-cove-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Salmonberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/salmonberry) ## 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: [Salmonberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/salmonberry)