Rubus spectabilis, the salmonberry, is a species of bramble in the rose family Rosaceae, native to the west coast of North America from west-central Alaska to California, inland as far as Idaho.

[2][3][4] Like many other species in the genus Rubus, the salmonberry plant bears edible fruit, typically yellow-orange or red in color, resembling raspberries in appearance.

Rubus spectabilis is a deciduous, rhizomatous shrub growing to 1–4 metres (3.3–13.1 feet) tall and 9 m (30 ft) wide, with a moderate growth rate of 0.3–0.6 m (12–24 inches) per year.

[7] The plant has golden or yellowish brown erect or arching stems (also known as "canes") that often form thickets, like many other brambles in the genus Rubus.

Studies have found that although both red and yellow-orange morphs have similar physical qualities, the red berries are more commonly consumed by birds, although this is likely not a strong enough selective pressure to determine color morph distribution alone; factors such as soil type (which affects germination), along with other unstudied factors are more likely responsible for the color polymorphism.

Ecologically speaking, salmonberry tends to spread quickly and needs plenty of room to grow, and is often dominant and fast-growing in early-seral communities.

[9][17] In open areas they often form large thickets, and are found to associate with stands of red alder (Alnus rubra), lady fern (Athyrium filixfemina), western skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus), devil's club (Oplopanax horridus), thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), and threeleaf foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata).

[9] In the wild, the fruit are typically eaten by birds, bears, and small mammals, among others, while the leaves, twigs, and stems are grazed on by herbivores such as deer, moose, mountain goats, elk, and rabbits.

[21][13] The fruit has been referred to as "diverse, from bright, fruity and citrusy to deep and earthy with spicy notes"[22] and depending on ripeness and site, they are good eaten raw – whether red or golden[13] – and when processed into jam, candy, jelly and wine.

Other uses by Native Americans include:[7] It is also widely grown as an ornamental plant for its flowers,[13][25][26] with a double-flowered clone identified in Washington and British Columbia.

[27] R. spectabilis has escaped cultivation and become naturalized in parts of northwestern Europe, including Great Britain, Ireland and the Faroe Islands.