Are raspberries native?

[lillian]

Somebody told me raspberries are native to this country. But I've never seen any growing  in the wild. Just wondered if any of you knew the history of the raspberry in this country?

[lillian]

[jennym]

Think raspberries are reasonably common in most of Northern Europe, I've seen them wild up in Scotland, but not down here in Essex. Wonder if anyone has down here?

[artichoke]

As a child in Scotland we always knew where the best wild raspberries were in Fife, but there is no way of knowing if they were garden/field escapes. Interesting.

http://www.fruitgateway.co.uk/intro_to_raspberry.asp

http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/Archive/raspberries.htm

"Raspberries are thought to be native to Asia and have been eaten since prehistoric times. They were cultivated by the Romans, but only gained widespread popularity after they were hybridized and improved by growers in England and France during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries."

[Mortality]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry

makes interesting reading. ;D

[Unwashed]

I see lots growing wild in the local woods.  They're a bit spindly, but unmistakably raspberries.

[tonybloke]

plenty of wild ones growing in woodlands in norfolk

[BAK]

Artichoke is correct.

The common view is that they were indigenous to Asia Minor and were probably brought here by the Romans ... seed has been found in various Roman forts across Britain.

There is a thought that they were also indigenous to North America.