Rubus cissoides
| Rubus cissoides | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 13' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Rubus cissoides (common name: bush lawyer)
Propagation: 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[1].
Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn.
Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[1].
Cultivation: Succeeds in most fertile soils[2]. Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position[3][4][1].
This species is not very hardy in Britain[3], it succeeds outdoors only in the mildest areas of the country and even there it requires the protection of a warm sunny wall[4].
A vigorous grower, it can easily swamp nearby plants[5].
Plants are sometimes erroneously labelled as R. australis[5].
The adult and juvenile forms of this plant are quite distinct from each other[4].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[1].
Range: New Zealand.
Habitat: Forests from lowland to montane areas throughout New Zealand[6].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[7]. The fruit is about 7mm in diameter[1].
The sap can be extracted and used raw or cooked[7].
Usage: A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[8].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Dioecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Grey-Wilson, Christopher and Victoria Matthews. Gardening on Walls. Collins, 1983.
- ↑ Allan, Harry. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer Publications, 1961.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Crowe, Andrew. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.