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A hand holding an orange salmonberry on the bush

Oregon · Washington · Idaho

When to plant salmonberry

Plant in the garden: Portland and Seattle Mar 1 – Apr 26; Spokane Apr 1 – May 27; Boise Mar 20 – May 15; Bend Apr 28 – Jun 23.

Salmonberry is a native raspberry relative that grows 6 to 10 feet tall in moist west-side woods. Its soft berries ripen yellow-orange to red in late spring, among the earliest wild berries of the year, and taste mild and juicy. Northwest tribes traditionally ate both the berries and the tender young spring shoots.

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Puts salmonberry on your free plan, with dates for your town and a spot in your beds.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Part shade to full sun
Spacing
4 to 6 feet apart
Planting depth
Same depth as in the pot or nursery
Frost
Hardy perennial; comes back every year
First harvest
Berries in the second or third year

One of the first native shrubs to flower, with magenta blooms in late winter and early spring that feed early hummingbirds, then orange to red berries. It's prickly and spreads, so it suits moist, wild corners west of the Cascades.

Salmonberry planting dates

TownsPlant in the garden
Portland, OR, Seattle and Tacoma, WAMar 1 – Apr 26
Spokane, WAApr 1 – May 27
Boise and Meridian, IDMar 20 – May 15
Bend and Redmond, ORApr 28 – Jun 23
Astoria, ORMar 25 – May 20

Dates for six main cities. For any of the other 80 towns, type it in the box at the top of the page or browse all towns.

Salmonberry year at a glance

TaskJFMAMJJASOND
PlantMarApr
HarvestMayJun
In bloomMarApr

Around Portland. Colder towns, especially east of the Cascades, run a few weeks later; the table above has your town's planting dates. Harvest months are for an established plant.

How to grow salmonberry

  1. Pick a moist spot in part shade or sun, such as a low area, stream bank or the shady side of the yard, where it can spread.
  2. Plant salmonberry shrubs on your city's dates, 4 to 6 feet apart. Same depth as in the pot or nursery.
  3. Water through the first two summers. Cut a few of the oldest canes to the ground each winter.
  4. Harvest: Pick in late spring and early summer when berries are fully colored, from gold to deep red, and pull free easily. They're juicy and mild; eat them fresh.

Growing salmonberry in your part of the Northwest

The same plant behaves differently on the wet west side, the foggy coast and the dry, colder east side.

West-side valleys

Willamette Valley, Puget Sound, southern Oregon

Salmonberry is native to wet west-side woods and stream banks and wants moist soil all year.

Coast

Oregon and Washington coast

Salmonberry thrives in the wet coastal climate and spreads quickly.

East of the Cascades

Columbia Basin, Yakima, Boise, Spokane, north Idaho

Salmonberry is a poor fit for dry east-side gardens unless it gets steady water and shade.

More salmonberry varieties

More widely sold picks that do well somewhere in the Northwest. The tag says which part of the Northwest suits each one best.

Salmonberry

Native shrub (Rubus spectabilis) · Ripens May to June

The wild species, sold by native plant nurseries. Magenta flowers in late winter and orange to red berries in late spring.

West side

Olympic Double

Double-flowered selection · Blooms February to April

A selection with showy double magenta flowers, grown mainly as an ornamental for early hummingbird food.

West side

How much to grow

How many to plant

Plant 3 or more, 4 to 6 feet apart, in moist soil. It forms thickets over time.

What to expect

A patch gives a few cups a week in late spring.

Storing the harvest

Eat fresh; they don't keep more than a day or two.

Key numbers

Top care tip: Keep the soil moist and cut a few old canes to the ground each winter.

Growing notes

What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.

Early flowers for hummingbirds

Salmonberry is one of the first native shrubs to bloom west of the Cascades, with magenta flowers from late winter into spring. Rufous hummingbirds arrive in time to feed on them, and native bees use them too.

The berries ripen in late spring, earlier than most native fruit, in colors from golden orange to deep red.

Planting

It thrives in moist soil and grows wild along streams and in damp woods. Plant in part shade or sun where the soil stays moist. Water through the first two summers.

Salmonberry spreads by roots and forms thickets that are great for wildlife and erosion control on wet slopes. Its canes are prickly, so keep it away from paths.

Harvest and care

Pick berries when fully colored and soft. They're juicy and mild, best eaten fresh, and don't keep long.

Cut a few of the oldest canes to the ground in winter. Olympic Double is a selection with double flowers that's grown mostly for show.

Good neighbors

Grows well with

  • Pacific ninebark. The same wet soil along streams and low spots.
  • Red-flowering currant. Blooms with it for early hummingbirds.

Pests and problems

What most often goes wrong with salmonberry in Northwest gardens, how to spot it and what to do.

Spreading thickets

Signs: Prickly canes spread by roots.

What to do: Plant where that's welcome, and cut out old canes.

Few berries

Signs: Plenty of leaves but little fruit.

What to do: Give it at least a few hours of sun.

Common questions about growing salmonberry

When should I plant salmonberry in Oregon, Washington and Idaho?

Plant in the garden: Mar 1 – Apr 26 in Portland and Seattle, Apr 1 – May 27 in Spokane, Mar 20 – May 15 in Boise and Apr 28 – Jun 23 in Bend. Pick your town at the top of the page for your own dates.

Are salmonberries edible?

Yes. They're juicy and mild. Flavor varies a lot from plant to plant.

When does salmonberry bloom?

From late winter into spring, often starting in February in western Oregon and Washington.

Will salmonberry grow in dry soil?

Not well. It needs moist soil and suits low spots, stream banks and shady, damp areas.

Also on these lists:

See what else to plant in March or April.

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