Black Raspberry Plant

Black raspberry plants for sale here are Rubus occidentalis, the native blackcap bramble that bears small, sweet black berries in early summer. We ship them bare-root at 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 feet, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for berry patches, u-pick rows, wildlife edges and wholesale buyers.

Black Raspberry Plant Size, Zones and Sun

The arching canes reach 3 to 6 feet, and a plant can spread 4 to 8 feet wide. It's hardy in zones 4 to 8 and fruits best in full sun, though light shade works. Aim for moist soil with plenty of organic matter that still drains well. Too much shade means flowers but little fruit.

Black Raspberry Flowers and Fruit

Small white, five-petaled flowers open from April into June. The berries color up from white to red to a deep black-purple and ripen in summer, usually around June and July. Fruit grows on second-year canes, so a cane gives you leaves one summer and berries the next.

Black Raspberry and Wildlife

Bees visit the flowers, and songbirds, small mammals and even black bears eat the fruit. Stem-nesting bees use old dead canes, so leave a few standing until they break down. Our guide to growing edible berry bushes in natural landscapes has more on mixing berries into a wildlife-friendly planting.

Where to Plant Black Raspberry

A sunny, open bed with air moving through it is what you want, whether that's a berry row, a fence line or the edge of a field. Plants go 2 to 3 feet apart, with 6 to 8 feet between rows so you can walk through with a bucket. Try to keep them away from wild brambles and red raspberries, which can carry disease over.

Planting Black Raspberry Bare-root

Soak the roots for an hour, then set the plant at the depth it grew with the roots spread out. Firm the soil, water well and cut a tall cane back to a short stub. Mulch and water weekly through the first summer. Our berry bush planting tips for yield and growth gives pointers on spacing and feeding.

Buying Black Raspberry Plants in Bulk

At 2 feet apart a pack of 25 makes a 50-foot row and 100 plants make 200 feet. The 1-2 foot size is the easiest to plant at scale, and the 2-4 foot plants give you a stronger start. Packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500 let you match a row, a field or a whole farm.

Good to Know About Black Raspberry Plants

Canes carry short, curved prickles, so wear sturdy gloves for planting and picking. After harvest, cut out the canes that fruited to make room for new ones. Arching canes can root where the tip touches the soil, so trim them back if you want a neat row. In a dry, sunny site the berries need steady water to fill out.

Black Raspberry for Jam, Freezing and Fresh Eating

The berries are smaller and darker than red raspberries and hold a deep flavor in jam, pies and the freezer. Pick in the morning when they slip off the cane easily, and chill or freeze them fast, since they don't keep long.

Black Raspberry Plant Sizes, Packs and Shipping

Black raspberry plants ship bare-root in November, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more wholesale shrubs.