Salmonberry is an erect, largely unarmed shrub that attains a height of 4 m (13 ft) and spreads by underground stems called rhizomes to form dense thickets. This is a deciduous species whose leaves typically have three leaflets. It produces pink to reddish-purple (magenta) flowers and edible fruits that range in colour from yellow to red to purple. It grows in moist to wet areas from low to subalpine elevations along the coast.