Rhamnus persica — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit is eaten raw and has a pleasant sweet flavour, but should be consumed in moderation as it can be emetic.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows in the lower Himalayas up to 1,000 m above sea level.

Afghanistan, Asia, Europe, Himalayas, India, Iran, Middle East, Pakistan, Turkey, Türkiye,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, Belarus, Switzerland, China, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Georgia, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Malta, Maldives, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A shrub. It can bend over or lie along the ground. The branches are short and end in a spine. The young branches have small hairs. The leaves are 5-20 mm long by 4-8 mm wide. They can be spoon shaped. They have a velvety covering on both surfaces. The fruit are in groups of 2-4. They are almost round and 3-4 mm long. There are 2-3 seeds.

How to Grow

Propagation: Seed is best sown in autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 1–2 months of cold stratification at around 5°C and should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame or outdoor seedbed. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse or cold frame through their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood can be taken in July/August in a frame, mature wood cuttings from the current year's growth in autumn in a frame, and layering in early spring.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

The wood is hard, close-grained, and very ornamental.

Notes

There are over 100 Rhamnus species. Rhamus persica Lawson is Rhamnus prostrata Jacq. ex Parker;

References (5)

Flora of Pakistan. www.eFloras.org
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 555 (As Rhamnus persica)
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Singh, H.B., Arora R.K.,1978, Wild edible Plants of India. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. p 69
Upreti, K., et al, 2010, Diversity and Distribution of Wild Edible Fruit Plants of Uttarakhand. Bioversity Potentials of the Himalaya. p 183