Native to all but the warmest parts of the southern states, while also holding a native range down along the Mississippi right to the delta, Wild Raspberry is highly adaptable and has long embedded itself as a key food source for birds, bears, foxes and many other creatures of North America, including us humans. But it’s also an iconic staple for the bumble bee.

Found in both high and lowlands, particularly along woodland edges (thank you bird poops, particularly), Wild Raspberry had positioned itself historically very close to where bumble bees so often find nesting territory. The semi-closed nature of the petals, reminiscent of it’s relative, the wild rose, invite a bee with the size to push aside the petals and access the pollen – something the bumble bee does so well.

Wild Raspberries spread quickly and if given a hedge space, fence line, or trailing border to work, they can create a productive mass, loaded with flowers from late spring through early summer, and then continuing to produce lightly through August, drawing swells of bumble bees to dress themselves in the pollen, as well as mason bees and leaf cutter bees. The rewards for you, both in terms of sweet, flavorful enjoyment crafted by these pollinators for tens of thousands of years - if not longer – and through the sight of many songbirds coming to get a taste, as well, is a great bonus.

Wild Raspberry hedges and trails here on the farm also house nests for goldfinches each year. The find ample comfort and protection, as well as structural support for their nests, amid the dense woody stems.

Care:

Wild Raspberry is well adapted to a wide variety of soils and conditions. It will tolerate wet conditions as long as the soil does ultimately drain. Raspberries produce best in full sun, but all they truly need is a half day of sunlight to be near peak production.

When planting your Wild Raspberry, choose your space with careful thought. This is a woody perennial that spreads via rhizomes, as well as easily seeding itself through fallen fruit (or our bird friends). Give it ample space to create – literally – a fruitful mass. Simply pulling any suckers that extend beyond the territory you wish it to grow, once or twice a year, will control it’s range.

If desired, suckers can easily be transplanted to other locations to create new fruiting masses.

Wild Raspberry does wonderfully alternately planted 5 feet apart with the numerous types of Bee Balm, and both will happily and readily fill in the space between, generating a chorus of happy buzzes throughout the summertime, and a bright and colorful energy along a wall, wood fence, or trail.

Thanks to Bernie Paquette for contributing “Two Spotted Bumble Bee” (upside down, on Raspberry) Visit his work at: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/bugeyedbernie