Rubus parvus

Buchanan

Creeping lawyer, Bush lawyer, Snow raspberry

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit, Sap 134 iNaturalist observations

Has a deadly poisonous lookalike — see comparison below

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc-sa

Summary

Evergreen shrub reaching 0.2m tall and 1m wide, hardy to UK zone 9. Produces flowers June to July. Dioecious species requiring both male and female plants for seed production, pollinated by insects. Grows in light, medium, or heavy soils with good drainage; tolerates mildly acid to basic pH. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun and prefers consistently moist conditions. Excellent low-growing ground cover for sheltered positions.

Description

A vine which creeps along the ground. The stems are thorny. The leaves are undivided. They are long and narrow and have teeth and are slightly prickly. They are a bronze-green colour which becomes more distinct in cold weather. The flowers are white. The fruit are red and juicy compound berries. They are 2.5 cm long.

Edible Uses

The fruit has a sweet flavour, measures about 25mm in diameter, and can be eaten raw or cooked. The sap is also edible.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It grows in dry and stony places in New Zealand. It grows in lowland forest in the NW of South Island in New Zealand. It will grow in most soils that have good drainage.

Where It Grows

New Zealand*,

Cultivation

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Plants are not reliably hardy in Britain and are damaged by prolonged frosts, but they can succeed outdoors in the milder areas of the country. Closely related to R. australis. The stems are thornless when they are mature. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if fruit and seed is required. 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 of stratification at about 3°C and should be sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out seedlings when large enough to handle, grow on in a cold frame, and 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 layer in July and plant 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. This plant makes a first-rate ground cover for a sheltered position.

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

Creeping lawyer

Rubus parvus

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

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

References (7)

Crowe, A., 1997, A Field Guide to the Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Penguin. p 16
Lavelle, M., 2008, Wild Flowers of Australia and Oceania. Southwater. p 60
Matthews, J., 1987, New Zealand Native Plants for your Garden. Pacific Publishers, p 107
Morley, B. & Everard, B., 1970, Wild Flowers of the World. Ebury press. Plate 129
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/

Show all 7 references

Skinner, G. & Brown, C., 1981, Simply Living. A gatherer's guide to New Zealand's fields, forests and shores. Reed. p 35
Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 6:243, t. 22, fig. 2, 3. 1874