Rubus corylifolius — Edible Plant | Edible Plant Database

Summary

A deciduous shrub with hermaphrodite flowers pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Grows in mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline conditions. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun and prefers consistently moist soil.

Description

A deciduous shrub with hermaphrodite flowers pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Grows in mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline conditions. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun and prefers consistently moist soil.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Europe,

Cultivation

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. This species is now more usually seen as an aggregate and has been split up into a number of species. This name is no longer really used. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation

Seed requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed needs one month stratification at about 3°c and should be sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out seedlings when large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame, then plant out into permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood can be taken in July/August in a frame. Tip layering in July, planting out in autumn. Division can be done in early spring or just before leaf-fall in autumn.

Other Uses

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.

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 corylifolius

(c) Beate & Heinz Beyerlein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Beate & Heinz Beyerlein

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

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

References (2)

Fl. brit. 2:542. 1800 - aggregate
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/