Rubus leucodermis
| Rubus leucodermis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 8' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Early Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Rubus leucodermis (common name: whitebark raspberry)
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: Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[2][3][1]. Plants strongly dislike windy situations[K].
This species is loosely allied to R. occidentalis[3].
Cultivated for its edible fruit in N. America[2]. This species is a raspberry with 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[1].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[1].
Range: Western N. America.
Habitat: Fields and open to wooded hills[4].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked in pies, jams etc[5][6][7][8][9]. A black raspberry, it is a very well flavoured fruit that can also be dried for winter use[2][5][10][8]. The fruit is generally considered to be too soft for it to be grown commercially[5]. The fruit develops a very nice flavour in British gardens and the plant can also yield well here, especially on the eastern side of the country[K].
A refreshing tea can be made from the leaves - it is high in vitamin C[8].
Young shoots - harvested as they emerge in the spring, then peeled and eaten raw or cooked like asparagus[7][11][12][8].
Medicinal: The whole plant is astringent[9]. An infusion of the root or the leaves has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea and upset stomachs[9]. A mild infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of influenza[9].
A poultice of the powdered stems has been used to treat cuts and wounds[9].
Usage: A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[13].
Pollinators: Insects
Notes: One for the sunnier edges of the woodland garden.
We can supply in spring.
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Late Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: R. occidentalis leucodermis.
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.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Simmons, Alan. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles, 1972.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Turner, Nancy. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1978.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press, 1981.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.