Rubus pubescens
| Rubus pubescens | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Rubus pubescens (common name: dwarf red blackberry)
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: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[2][3][1].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[1].
Range: N. America - Labrador to British Columbia and southwards.
Habitat: Damp slopes, rocky shores, low thickets etc[4].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[5][6][7]. Delicate and delicious[7]. The fruit can be mashed, made into small cakes then dried and stored for later use[7].
Medicinal: The leaves are astringent and stomachic[7]. A decoction has been to treat the vomiting of blood and blood-spitting[7].
An infusion of the plant, combined with wild strawberry (Fragaria spp), has been used to treat irregular menstruation[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.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: R. triflorus.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1978.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.