Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is a species of Rubus native to the west coast of North America. Salmonberry is a perennial shrub, 1-4 m tall, with woody stems and toothed-margin leaves that are trifoliate, 7-22 cm long, and the terminal leaflet bigger than the two side leaflets. They can be found growing in moist forests and stream margins in the coastal forests, forming large thickets, and thrive in the open spaces under Red Alder trees. The five-petalled purple flowers are borne from early spring to early summer. The fruit which resembles a large yellow to orange-red raspberry is 1.5-2 cm long, and with many drupelets, maturing in late summer to early autumn. Salmonberries are edible and have fruit structure like a raspberry, with the fruit pulling away from its receptacle. The berries are good eaten raw or make into jam, candy, jelly and wine.
Salmonberry can be easily grown from layering, basal sprouting, rhizomes, root cuttings, and hardwood cuttings.
Flower of Salmonberry http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubus_spectabilis_1.jpg Peter Stevens
Salmonberries in different stages http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubus_spectabilis_pfly2.jpg pfly
Ripe salmonberry http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubus_spectabilis_1574.JPG Walter Siegmund
Red salmonberries http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-salmonberry.jpg Apv
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubus_spectabilis_1.jpg
Peter Stevens
