Flowering Raspberry vs Black-Eyed Susan - TreeTime.ca

Flowering Raspberry vs Black-Eyed Susan

Rubus odoratus

Rudbeckia hirta

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NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Flowering Raspberry
Black-Eyed Susan

The Flowering Raspberry is an ornamental shrubby plant that blooms with fragrant light purple flowers throughout the summer and has a large, decorative foliage of bright green leaves. The flowers resemble that of a wildrose, and the foliage turns a bright yellow in the fall. This cultivar produces small red raspberries, similar to that of a thimbleberry, but the fruit is mostly tasteless.

The Flowering Raspberry, also known as Virginia Raspberry or Purple-Flowered Raspberry, makes a great hedge plant and is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard.

Black-Eyed Susan is a striking native wildflower known for its bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with dark center disks. With deadheading, the plant can bloom for an extended period, from mid-summer to early fall. These cheerful flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Adding to its ecological value, the plant also acts as a host for the Wavy-Lined Emerald Moth (Synchlora aerata) and the Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) butterfly.

While it is typically a short-lived perennial or biennial, the plant freely self-seeds. This allows it to persist in the landscape, particularly in natural areas where it can spread and establish itself. This plant is drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, and deer and rabbit-resistant, making it ideal for challenging environments. The Black-Eyed Susan is well suited to wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, as well as slopes, banks, and naturalized areas.

Flowering Raspberry Quick Facts

Black-Eyed Susan Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: any
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: high
Maintenance: medium


Bark: thornless orange
Flowers: purple
Flowers: bright yellow; daisy-like
Bloom time: early summer to fall
Berries: red to purple, seedy
Firmness: firm
Flavor: tasteless
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS
Native to: SK, MB, ON
Other Names: purple-flowered raspberry, virginia raspberry
Other Names: hairy coneflower