raspberry and blackberry

Raspberry and Blackberry Rubus spp.
Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Branching: Alternate

The fruits of this group are well-known, and most hikers are familiar with their tangled and spiny stems. There are many species, and many look quite similar even in the summer. They usually have arching reddish stems that are covered in small sharp prickles. Sometimes the stems are covered in a white waxy "bloom" and sometimes the stems arch over and and their tips take root. Characteristics like that are helpful in identifying the precise species. Blackberries are larger shrubs, with stouter stems that are angled, or ridged.

The reddish stem of a Rubus

Another view of the stem

Growth form is often arching