Rubus tricolor
Chinese bramble
Overview
Rubus tricolor is a vigorous evergreen groundcover bramble forming a dense carpet 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall and spreading 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) or more across. The trailing red-bristled stems root where their tips touch the soil, knitting into a weed-suppressing mat. Unlike many brambles it lacks hooked thorns, instead carrying soft red-brown bristles along the stems. The glossy dark green leaves are broadly oval to heart-shaped, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, with a white-felted underside that shows when the wind lifts them. White five-petaled flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across open singly in summer, followed on some plants by edible red raspberry-like fruits 0.5 inch (12 mm) wide in late summer. The foliage holds through winter in mild climates and bronzes in cold spells. The plant spreads quickly and can overrun smaller neighbors or root beyond its intended area, a limitation in mixed plantings and small gardens. It tolerates dry shade once established and so suits difficult ground beneath trees.
Native Range
Rubus tricolor is native to western China, where it grows in woodland and on forest margins in mountainous regions. It has been introduced to gardens in Europe and North America as ground cover.Suggested Uses
Grown as evergreen ground cover on banks, under trees and shrubs, and over difficult dry shade where little else knits together. The dense mat suppresses weeds and helps stabilize sloping ground. Its spread suits large areas more than confined beds.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 2'
Width/Spread6' - 10'
Bloom Information
White five-petaled flowers open singly through summer, mainly June to August. They are pollinated by bees and other insects. Red aggregate fruits, similar to small raspberries, ripen on some plants in late summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Glossy dark green, white-felted beneathGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Tolerates up to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to full shade in most moist, well-drained soils, tolerating dry shade once its roots are established. It is hardy to USDA zone 7 and may lose leaves or die back in hard winters at the cold edge of its range. Growth is rapid, and the rooting stem tips are cut back each year to keep the plant within bounds. Little feeding is required, as it grows freely even in poor soil. Spreading roots can be severed with a spade to limit expansion. It has few serious pests, though bramble rusts can mark the leaves.Pruning
Overlong or rooting stems are trimmed back in spring to contain the spread. Winter-damaged or scorched growth is removed once new leaves appear. Plants tolerate hard cutting back and regrow from the base.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early springlate spring