Purple Flowering Raspberry

May 28, 2026

Growing on a bush with leaves that closely resemble those of maple trees, the Purple Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus) is one of 850 species of flowering plants in Shenandoah National Park. It’s just coming into bloom now, with a flower that is a rich magenta hue.

Their fragrant flowers are a nectar source for hummingbirds, bumblebees and butterflies. Their leaves are often used to line the underground nests of bumblebees. And the berries of Purple Flowering Raspberry are gobbled up by songbirds and small mammals.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.