Flower profile
Rocky Mountain raspberry
Rubus deliciosus
Rocky Mountain raspberry is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Colorado it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Colorado
Quick look
Rubus deliciosus is a North American species of flowering plant in the rose family. Common names include the delicious raspberry, boulder raspberry, Rocky Mountain raspberry or snowy bramble.
- It belongs to the Rosaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a subshrub / a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado. NatureServe
- In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,718 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #53 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
Rocky Mountain raspberry gift ideas
Handmade rocky mountain raspberry gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Rocky Mountain raspberry art print
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Rocky Mountain raspberry greeting card
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Rocky Mountain raspberry mug
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Rocky Mountain raspberry earrings
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Rocky Mountain raspberry embroidery pattern
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Rocky Mountain raspberry sticker
When does it bloom?
In Colorado, most flowering sightings come in April–June.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Colorado
- No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: OK (S1), WY (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Rubus pedatus (“Creeping Rubus”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records Rocky Mountain raspberry in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming.
Colorado counties with USDA records: Alamosa, Baca, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Custer, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Las Animas, Mesa, Park, Pueblo, Saguache, Teller.
More Colorado flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RUDE.
- iNaturalist, Rubus deliciosus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Rubus deliciosus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Rubus deliciosus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Jared Lincenberg via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.