Some Rubus species are slow to germinate due to their thick, impermeable endocarp and physiological dormancy. We studied the effect of scarification and stratification on the breaking of dormancy in five Rubus species (R. parvifolius, R. phoenicolasius, R. buergeri, R. takesimensis and R. corchorifolius). On anatomical observation, Rubus stones are generally shown to have a three-layered endocarp (outer-, middle-, and inner-endocarp) that conveys physical dormancy. For the scarification treatment, stones were treated with sulphuric acid. The most effective treatment for breaking dormancy resulted in 50-70% scarification of the middle-endocarp. The combined treatment of scarification and stratification considerably increased germination of Rubus seeds. In particular, sulphuric acid scarification followed by cold stratification (eight weeks at 4°C) was most effective for three species: R. parvifolius, R. phoenicolasius and R. takesimensis. However, R. corchorifolius showed very similar results in all stratification treatments and R. buergeri was affected by neither single nor combined scarification and stratification treatments. In summary, three of the studied species of Rubus were found to exhibit deep combinational dormancy caused by a hard endocarp and physiological inhibitory mechanisms. In contrast, R. corchorifolius seeds only showed physical dormancy.