Creeping Raspberry

1 GALLON CREEPING RASPBERRY
Rubus hayata-koidzumi
USDA Zones 6-9 
 
This beautifully trailing, creeping & twisting plant produces a mass of 3-lobed leaves that form a dense mat, making it an excellent ground cover for its attractiveness & capability to fill in every nook & cranny. And it fruits too! You’ll have a crop of raspberries before you know it ;) 
 
This creeping raspberry belongs to the evergreen species. In winter it’s leaves have bronze colored undersides & rust-like undertones which compliment the usual green flawlessly on the topside. During the summer it produces white flowers followed by brightly colored & delicious fruit! Creeping raspberry produces white flowers in summer, but these flowers can often get lost amidst the dense and rich foliage. Creeping raspberry bears aggregate fruit, with each fruit a cluster of small seed-bearing parts connected together. The fruits look just like red raspberries, but are distinct in color. Vividly yellow to orange-red, they sometimes almost achieve true red coloration. Creeping raspberry also produces edible fruit right after the early summer bloom.
 
While it’s most popular use is a ground cover, being that it trails so well it looks amazing in an hanging basket! Some use it as a lawn replacement! Ultimately, it’s best used as a cascading ornamental. Plant it on the outsides of a container & watch it trail down creating a beautiful addition to your arrangement. 
 
Now let’s get into the gritty details! It grows to be 6-12” tall with an outward spread of about 24” per year. At maximum height it can reach a foot tall, but it often stays in a thick 6″ mat along the ground. It spreads 12″-24″ outward per year on each cane-like stem. The stems are thorned, but the thorns are fairly soft rather than rigid and dangerous. Space individual plants 4-6 feet apart to allow room for plant growth. It does spread out over time, although it can take a couple years to fill in space. It isn’t considered invasive, and it can act as a living mulch for spring bulbs and other plants. Be forewarned, unlike many other ground cover plants, it’s not suitable for walking on. The flexible thorns can still poke you, and the plant doesn’t like being squished.
 
To keep this plant contained, you’ll need to use some garden edging. Metal, concrete, or brick edging that goes at least 4″ deep in the soil is best. It may spill over the top but is easy to keep trimmed back.
 
LIGHT
Full or partial sun is ideal. Rubus hayata-koidzumi is surprisingly adaptable. It’ll grow well on difficult sites on hot and dry slopes and ditches. These can tolerate a bit of irregular watering and thrive in direct sunlight. Not many ground covers are this willing to adjust! If you’re in a hot climate, afternoon shade is actually preferred to prevent scorching.
 
 
SOIL
Well drained soil is ideal. We use a regular, well drained potting soil. To go the extra mile, when planting in a container, we will layer ~1-2” (depending on size of container) of small slate gravel to the bottom of the container to ensure water drains properly & doesn’t sit at the bottom of the pot, causing root rot. With that being said, this is just a precaution & it will do fine alone with a well drained potting soil. 
 
WATER
This creeping bramble is quite drought-resistant once established. When the plants are young, consistent watering can help fuel growth. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. For older plants, allow the soil to dry before watering again.
Avoid standing water around your plants. Fungal-based root rot can develop in warm and wet conditions. High humidity environments may make them more susceptible to powdery mildew.
 
FERTILIZER
If you want to fertilize, I recommend doing so before you plant. Blend a small amount of 10-10-10 slow-release granular fertilizer through the soil. Don’t go overboard, simply add a sprinkling.
 
PROPAGATION 
Propagation is best performed from young, healthy cuttings in the early summer months. Select a healthy stem and cut off a 6″ length. Remove all but a few leaves at the cutting’s tip. Place it in moistened potting soil, and keep in a dim location until roots form. Ensure that the soil stays moist. If possible, provide humidity around the cutting as well.
 
It’s far easier to find live plants than seeds for this species. Collecting your own seeds is your best bet if you want to start completely new plants.
To harvest seeds yourself, select overripe berries. The seeds are fully-formed in those, giving you the best chance of germination.
Mash the berries into a paste, being careful not to crush the seeds within the fruit. Dilute this paste with about an inch to two inches of water.
Cover with a lid and leave the contents for three days, stirring it at least once a day. After that, skim off anything that’s developed on the surface. The seeds should drop to the bottom of your container. You can then strain out the seeds. Plant them soon after harvesting.
 
GROWING "PROBLEMS"
As the summer ebbs away, you might notice the leaves of your plant reddening. This is not actually a sign of a problem – it’s the natural state of your plant’s foliage! Unlike many other ground covers, creeping raspberry develops lovely fall color. So don’t panic, your plant’s not experiencing a problem.
 
WE WILL SHIP A 1 GALLON SIZE PLANT BARE ROOT WITHOUT A POT. 
 
If you’re interested in growing in a hanging basket, don’t forget we have 6” & 8” hanging baskets listed on our site available for purchase!