High Quality Rubus Plants For Sale

New Zealand’s Best Berry Plants

Growing Blackberries in your garden delivers a vast range of benefits:

• Reduced food waste
• Lower grocery costs
• Fewer food miles and less plastic packaging, decreasing your carbon footprint
• Convenience
• Children can learn the plants and become more involved with nature
• These plants will bring you pleasure for many years to come

We’ll help you find the right variety of Raspberry, Blackberry, and many other berry options for your space. Our fruiting plants and trees have been selected to thrive in New Zealand’s climate. We stock only the highest quality plants, sourcing them from NZ’s leading nurseries. Each plant is packed and transported with extreme care, ensuring it arrives to you in the same condition it was in when it left the nursery. If you are wanting to buy berries, shop with confidence from the best in the industry.

Common questions about growing Rubus

1. What does Rubus look like?

The appearance of Rubus plants varies depending on the specific species, but they generally share some common characteristics. Here's a general overview of what Rubus plants typically look like:

Stems: Rubus plants typically have woody stems, often covered in sharp prickles or thorns. These stems can be either erect or arching, and they can grow quite long, sometimes reaching several meters in length.

Leaves: Rubus leaves are typically compound, meaning they are divided into multiple leaflets. The leaflets can be oval, elliptical, or lanceolate in shape, and they usually have serrated margins. The leaves can be either deciduous, falling off in the autumn, or evergreen, remaining green year-round.

Flowers: Rubus flowers are typically white or pink, and they have five petals. The flowers are arranged in clusters, either terminal or axillary, meaning they grow at the end of the stems or in the axils of the leaves.

Fruit: Rubus fruit is an aggregate of drupelets, meaning it is made up of many small, fleshy fruits. The drupelets are typically black, red, or purple in color, and they are juicy and sweet.

Here are some examples of specific Rubus species and their appearance:

• Red blackberry (Rubus fruticosus): This species has erect stems with numerous prickles. The leaves are compound with five leaflets, and the flowers are white. The fruit is a red aggregate of drupelets.
• Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus var. nigerrimus): This species is similar to the red blackberry, but its fruit is black.
• Dewberry (Rubus ursinus): This species has trailing stems that can root at the nodes. The leaves are compound with three leaflets, and the flowers are white. The fruit is a black aggregate of drupelets.
• Raspberry (Rubus idaeus): This species has erect stems with few prickles. The leaves are compound with three leaflets, and the flowers are white or pink. The fruit is a red aggregate of drupelets that separates easily from the core.
• Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis): This species has erect stems with few prickles. The leaves are compound with five leaflets, and the flowers are large and showy, with rose-pink petals. The fruit is a bright orange-red aggregate of drupelets.

2. Is Rubus a woody plant?

Rubus is a genus of woody plants in the rose family Rosaceae. Most Rubus species are shrubs or vines with prickly stems, leaves that are typically compound or simple, and many species produce edible fruits. The Rubus genus includes about 200 to 400 species, which are found worldwide in temperate regions.

3. What is the orange berry like a raspberry?

There are a few orange berries that resemble raspberries, but the most common one is the salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis). Salmonberries are native to North America and grow in damp forests and meadows. They are smaller than raspberries, but they have a similar flavour and texture. Salmonberries are a good source of vitamins C and E, and they are also high in fibre.

4. What is orange berry rubus pentalobus?

Rubus pentalobus, commonly known as orangeberry or Taiwanese creeping raspberry, is a low-growing evergreen shrub native to Taiwan. It belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae) and is closely related to raspberries and blackberries. Orangeberry is known for its striking foliage and attractive orange berries, which have a sweet and tangy flavor.

Characteristics of Rubus pentalobus:

• Growth habit: Creeping or trailing, forming a dense mat
• Height: Up to 15-20 cm (6-8 inches)
• Stems: Woody, with small prickles
• Leaves: Small, deeply textured, and lobed, ranging from dark green in summer to bronze in winter
• Flowers: White, bell-shaped, arranged in small clusters
• Fruit: Small, round, and orange-colored berries, resembling miniature grapefruits

5. What are the uses for Rubus pentalobus?

Uses for Rubus pentalobus include:

• Groundcover: Orangeberry is an excellent groundcover for suppressing weeds and adding visual interest to gardens.
• Edible fruit: The orange berries are edible and have a sweet and tangy flavour. They can be eaten fresh, used in jams and jellies, or baked into pies and desserts.
• Ornamental plant: The attractive foliage and colorful berries make orangeberry a popular ornamental plant for containers, hanging baskets, and rock gardens.

6. Is blackberry a Rubus?

Yes, blackberry is a Rubus. In fact, the genus Rubus includes a wide variety of species that produce edible fruits, including blackberries, raspberries, dewberries, and salmonberries. These fruits are typically aggregates of drupelets, meaning they are composed of many small, fleshy fruits fused together.

The term "blackberry" is often used to refer specifically to the Rubus fruticosus aggregate, which includes a large number of closely related species. These blackberries are typically black or deep purple when ripe, and they have a sweet and tart flavor. They are a popular fruit for eating fresh, using in pies and jams, and baking into desserts.

Other species in the Rubus genus that produce blackberries include:

• Rubus laciniatus (cut-leaved blackberry)
• Rubus caesius (European blackberry)
• Rubus occidentalis (American blackberry)

So, while there are many different types of blackberries, they all belong to the Rubus genus.

7. What fruit is a cross between a blackberry and a red raspberry?

The most common cross between a blackberry and a red raspberry is the tayberry. It is a hybrid berry that was first developed in Scotland in the 1870s. Tayberries are typically deep red in color, with a flavor that is similar to a raspberry but with a hint of blackberry tartness. They are also larger and firmer than raspberries, making them ideal for baking and preserving.

Other less common hybrids between blackberries and red raspberries include:

• Loganberry: A cross between a blackberry, raspberry, and dewberry.
• Boysenberry: A cross between a blackberry, raspberry, dewberry, and loganberry.
• Marionberry: A cross between an Olallieberry and a blackberry.

These hybrid berries are all delicious and nutritious, and they offer a unique flavor profile that is a blend of their blackberry and raspberry parents.