About 250 species of deciduous or evergreen shrubs. Widely distributed, but native mostly to the Northern Hemisphere.
Stems are upright or trailing, and usually prickly and biennial.
Includes the raspberries, blackberries, and other bramble fruits. An attractive but seldom cultivated shrub with large, maple-like leaves. Stems are perennial, and not prickly, with flaking bark. The fruit, which somewhat resembles a small red raspberry, is edible but not produced in significant quantities. Tolerant of poorly drained soil and partial shade.