| Rubus canadensis | |
|---|---|
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| 1909 Fitch illustration [1] | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Rubus |
| Species: | R. canadensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Rubus canadensis L. 1753 not Torr. 1824 | |
| Synonyms | |
Synonymy
| |
Rubus canadensis is a North American species of flowering plant in the rose family known by the common names smooth blackberry, [2] Canadian blackberry, thornless blackberry and smooth highbush blackberry. [3] It is native to central and eastern Canada (from Newfoundland to Ontario) and the eastern United States (New England, the Great Lakes region, and the Appalachian Mountains). [4] [5] It has also been sparingly recorded in Great Britain, in which it is often confused for the many other native blackberry species. [6]
This rhizomatous shrub forms thickets up to 2 to 3 meters (6.6 to 9.8 ft) tall. The leaves are deciduous and alternately arranged, each measuring 10 to 20 centimeters (3.9 to 7.9 inches) long. The inflorescence is a cluster of up to 25 flowers. The fruit is an aggregate of many small drupes, each of which contains a tiny nutlet. The plant reproduces by seed, by sprouting up from the rhizome, and by layering. The stems can grow one metre (39 inches) in height in under two months. [4] [3]
Rubus canadensis grows in many types of forested habitat, as well as on disturbed sites. Associated plants may include mountain maple ( Acer spicatum ), serviceberry ( Amelanchier spp.), hobblebush ( Viburnum alnifolium ), scarlet elder ( Sambucus pubens ), common blackberry ( Rubus allegheniensis ), beaked hazel ( Corylus cornuta ), southern mountain cranberry ( Vaccinium erythrocarpum ), minnie-bush (Menziesia pilosa), and rosebay ( Rhododendron catawbiense ). [4]
Many types of animals feed on the fruits and foliage of this shrub. The thickets provide cover and nesting sites. [4]
The fruits of this plant provided food for Native American groups, who also used parts of the plant medicinally at times. [7]
