Native Australian raspberries
Native raspberry and suckers, Myrtle St
Native raspberry from above
Raspberries
According to the wonderful Encyclopaedia Botanica by Frances Bodkin (Collins Angus Robertson, 1986) there are three Australian raspberries.
Rubus Hillii (Rosaceae), or Wild Raspberry, is a native of NSW, Qld and NT. The fruit are red, globular berries, 1.2 cm across. Flowers are white or red. Propagation is by seed.
Rubus Parvifolius (Rosacae), or Native Bramble, is a native to NSW, Qld and Papua New Guinea and is drought and frost resistant. Flowers are pink, small. Fruit are red drupes, in spring and summer. Propagation is by cuttings.
Rubus Rosifolius (Rosacae) is a native of NSW, Qld, Vic and Papua New Guinea. Fruit are red drupes, appearing most of the year. Flowers are white. Propagation is by cuttings or root suckers.
The one we have in Myrtle Street is the Rosifolius; notice the suckers. Anyone may take cuttings and grow it at their place or outside in the street.
Kids here love picking the red fruit which disappear rapidly into young and old mouths.
Australia has 8 native raspberries (Rubus spp) 7 of which inhabit both rainforest and coastal heath ecosystems along the eastern seaboard, the other (rubus gunnianus) is found at altitude in the Tasmanian alps. All Native raspberries can be propogated from seed, however some varieties are quicker to establish by planting out suckers, some like Rubus moluccanus for example, easily strike from cane tips coming into contact with the ground.