Blackberries and raspberries do not grow on the same plant. Although they are often found growing near each other and share a similar appearance, they are biologically distinct species. They require separate root systems to grow and produce fruit. Understanding their botanical relationship and physical differences clarifies why they are frequently grouped together but remain individual plants.
Distinct Plants Not Shared Bushes
Blackberries and raspberries are separate species, each possessing a unique genetic makeup and root system. Both are classified as brambles, which are woody, perennial plants. Each bramble requires its own crown, the compressed base located at or just below the soil line, from which the above-ground shoots emerge. These plants do not naturally graft or hybridize to form a single, shared plant. Even when planted in close proximity, each fruit ultimately comes from its own independent root system.
Understanding the Rubus Family
Blackberries and raspberries are so often confused due to their shared biological ancestry within the plant kingdom. Both belong to the same large and diverse genus, Rubus, which places them in the same botanical grouping. A genus represents a classification of closely related species that share a common ancestor and many structural characteristics. This shared genus is why both plants produce aggregate fruits, which are clusters of many tiny, single-seeded sections called drupelets. The close family tie explains their similar growth habit as thorny, cane-producing plants.
Key Differences in Cane Structure
The physical structure of the plants themselves, known as canes, offers clear distinctions between the two. All brambles have perennial roots but biennial canes, meaning the shoots grow one year and produce fruit the next before dying back. Raspberry canes tend to be more erect and often have a smoother, glaucous (bluish-white) coating. Blackberry canes are typically more robust, often trailing or semi-erect, and feature angular or ridged stems. The thorns also differ, with blackberries possessing larger, stouter thorns, while raspberries have smaller, bristly prickles; additionally, red raspberries spread via underground suckers, unlike blackberries which produce new canes only from the central crown.
How to Tell the Fruits Apart
The most definitive way to distinguish the fruits is by observing the receptacle, or fleshy core, after picking. When a ripe raspberry is harvested, the cluster of drupelets easily separates from the plant, leaving the cone-shaped receptacle behind on the stem. This results in a hollow center, or “thimble,” in the picked raspberry. In contrast, when a blackberry is picked, the receptacle remains attached to the cluster of drupelets. This causes the blackberry to have a solid, spongy white center. Blackberries also tend to be more oblong and shinier, with slightly larger drupelets compared to the smaller, duller black raspberry.