Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Tolerates all but the most alkaline soils. Plants dislike exposed windy situations. Hardy to about -18°c. Often cultivated for its edible fruit in temperate countries, there are some named varieties, including forms with thornless stems. 'LY654' is a thornless form with good flavor. This species has fast-growing biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die. The plant produces apomictic flowers, these produce fruit and viable seed without fertilization, each seedling is a genetic copy of the parent. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. Closely related to R. ursinus. Plants are liable to attacks of raspberry cane spot and mildew, otherwise they are one of the most reliable of the fruiting members of this genus.

Fruit - raw or cooked. A pleasant acid flavor, it usually crops heavily. The fruit is up to 4cm in diameter.

Seed - requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and is best sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn.

Not known in a truly wild situation.