Small scrambling raspberry with shocking pink buds
A small raspberry which is often prostrate but can form a shrub to 90 cm high. Found north from the Central Highlands of Victoria to Queensland on the margins of rainforests. Rubus parvifolius occurs in Japan, southern China and North Vietnam and throughout southeastern Australia. In Queensland it is distributed from the NSW border to Eungella National Park near Mackay. Young stems are covered in fine downy hairs and sharp, curved prickles. The compound leaves are arranged alternately along the stems, with three to five leaflets that are egg-shaped to rhombic. The upper surface of the leaf is a wrinkled, deep green, while the underside has a dense coating of velvety white or gray hairs and sharply toothed margins. In spring and summer, small clusters of flower buds which emerge from the leaf axils. The buds have shocking pink petals that rarely open fully, shorter than the surrounding hairy sepals and fade to whitish pink. These flowers 4-6.5 mm develop into bright red, glossy aggregate fruits 10-15 mm wide, consisting of small, fleshy drupelets. According to Tony Bean in Australian Plants Online the red fruits while rather small, are very succulent and tasty. It is the most drought tolerant of the Queensland raspberries. As well as being a food source for Aboriginal people, its leaves were brewed for a medicinal tea.
A spray of pink-flowered raspberry Rubus parvifolius. Photo: Mark Crocker
Canes are up to 1 metre in length. This specimen is at Glenella Street Park half way along the walking track near the introduced fig tree. The raspberry patch was first recorded in 2011. It was still putting out new canes in June 2026. Photo: Anne Jones
Seed collecting and propagation
Collect fresh fruit and cold soak for one week. Squash fruit to separate seeds. Germination in 6 to 12 weeks. Grows well from cuttings.
The tiny flowers are shocking pink as buds and when they start to open. Photo: Anne Jones
Open flower. Photo: Anne Jones
The flowers then begin forming into fruit. Photo: Anne Jones
Bright red, glossy aggregate fruits 10-15 mm wide. Photo: Anne Jones
Leaf underside has a dense coating of velvety white hairs. Photo: Anne Jones
