Rubus urticifolius

Poir.

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit 720 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

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Description

A small scrambling shrub or woody vine. It grows 4 m long. The flowers are pale pink. The fruit are black when ripe.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten raw.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten raw.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. In Argentina it grows below 500 m below sea level.

Where It Grows

Andes, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil*, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South America*,

Cultivation

Species in this genus are generally easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade.

Propagation

Seed - germinates best if given a period of cold stratification prior to sowing in containers. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and is best sown as early as possible in the growing season. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on until large enough to plant out. Cuttings of half-ripe wood in a frame. Tip layering towards the end of the growing season Division just before the plant comes into new growth or as it enters dormancy.

Other Information

It is sometimes cultivated.

Notes

There are about 250 Rubus species.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

DEADLY

Red Baneberry

Actaea rubra

Walter Siegmund (talk)

Safe

Rubus urticifolius

Red Baneberry: Short herbaceous plant (no thorns), berries on thick red stems, each berry has a single seed, compound sharply-toothed leaves.

Rubus urticifolius: Thorny woody canes (brambles), aggregate berry made of many drupelets, berries pull easily from receptacle.

Synonyms

Rubus trichomallus Schltdl.and others

Also Known As

Amora-de-espinho, Amora-do-mato, Mora, Mora silvestre

References (18)

Alimenticias - FloraSBS
Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 1418
Brack, P., et al, 2020, Frutas nativas do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: riqueza e potencial alimentício. Native fruits of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: richness and potential as food. Rodriguésia 71: e03102018
Encycl. 6:246. 1804 "urticaefolius" - treated by some as synonymous with Rubus trichomallus, but not Bailey
INFOODSUpdatedFGU-list.xls

Show all 18 references

Kew Plants of the World Online
Kinupp, V. F., 2007, Plantas alimenticias nao-convencionais da regiao metropolitana de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil p 96
Kinupp, V. F. & Bergman, I., 2008, Protein and minerals of native species, potential vegetables and fruits. Cienc.Tecnol. Aliment. Vol. 28 No. 4 Campinas Oct/Dec.
Kvist, L. S., et al, 2006, Bosques montanos bajos occidentals en Ecuador y sus plantas utiles. Botanica Economica ge los Andes Centrales. 205-223
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 766
Lopez-Diago, D. & Garcia, N., 2021, Wild edible fruits of Colombia. Biota ColomBiana 22 (2) p 49
Mansfield's Encyclopedia of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops p 426
NYBG Herbarium "edible"
Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
Segura, S., et al, 2018, The edible fruit species in Mexico. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2018) 65:1767–1793
Torre, de la, L., et al, 2008, Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador. Herbario QCA. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. p 539
Van den Eynden, V., et al, 2003, Wild Foods from South Ecuador. Economic Botany 57(4): 576-603
www.colecionandofrutas.org