I compared the distribution and shade tolerance of five Rubus species in central Pennsylvania. T-tests of shade levels over each species determined that the invasive R. phoenicolasius (wineberry) competes most directly with R. allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry), a key early-successional species that is important for forest regeneration. These are supplanted by R. occidentalis, hispidus, and flagellaris as the canopy develops. Understanding these successional patterns can help foresters develop more effective strategies for encouraging native biodiversity.