Purple-flowered Raspberry (Rubus odoratus), blooming in the mountains right now.
Native to eastern North America. Leaves that look much like maple leaves. Berries that are not my favorite, but birds like them.
Purple?
Category: Maple-like leaves
Raspberry Awakening
So many native perennials sprouting their leaves as if little alarm clocks have gone off telling the plants to wake up. One of them, Purple-flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus), sending out its maple-like, very crinkled, serrated leaves. It is native to the eastern United States
By late May bristly buds appear. The stems and branches of the plant are also hairy/bristly but have no thorns.
Blooms arrive by mid-June in the woods in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Often singly, sometimes two or three blossoms together. The drupes or berries are edible but it is debatable whether they have a good flavor. I chose to leave the drupes for the birds and animals that enjoy them.
It’s a great kick to find these flowers in the woods. A lovely bright color for a native plant.