Rubus leucodermis
Dougl. ex Torr. & A. Gray
Whitebark raspberry, Western raspberry
(c) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Stem, Leaves - tea
The black raspberry fruit can be eaten raw or cooked in pies, jams, and similar preparations, and can also be dried for winter use. The fruit is generally considered too soft for commercial growing, but develops excellent flavour in British gardens — particularly on the eastern side of the country — and can yield well there. Fresh leaves make a refreshing tea that is high in vitamin C. Young shoots can be harvested as they emerge in spring, peeled, and eaten raw or cooked like asparagus.
Dangerous Lookalikes
This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.
Red Baneberry: Short herbaceous plant (no thorns), berries on thick red stems, each berry has a single seed, compound sharply-toothed leaves.
Whitebark raspberry: Thorny woody canes (brambles), aggregate berry made of many drupelets, berries pull easily from receptacle.
Where to Find It
It is a temperate plant. It grows in open clearings in woods.
Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, North America*, Pakistan, USA,
How to Identify
A shrub. It loses its leaves during the year. The canes arch over and have prickles. The bark is smooth and red with a waxy covering. The leaves have prickles on the veins. The leaves are compound and white underneath. There are 2 side leaflets and a larger one at the end. The flowers are white and often in clusters. The fruit is a purple to black berry.
Nutrition Score: 34/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 79 | 364 | 87 | 1.2 | — | 6.5 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
How to Grow
Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Plants strongly dislike windy situations. This species is loosely allied to R. occidentalis. Cultivated for its edible fruit in N. America. This species is a raspberry with biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die. 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 requires one month stratification at about 3°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible. 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.
Medicinal Uses
The whole plant is astringent. An infusion of the root or leaves has been used to treat diarrhoea and upset stomachs, while a mild infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of influenza. A poultice made from powdered stems has been applied to cuts and wounds.
Other Uses
A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Rubus leucodermis, also called whitebark raspberry, blackcap raspberry, blue raspberry, or Chkohpeen by the Yurok is a species of Rubus native to western North America. Despite its name, it has no connection to the artificial flavoring known as blue raspberry.
Notes
There are about 250 Rubus species.
Names & Synonyms
Blackcap raspberry, Frambuesa azul, Thora baganra, Usukw'ltlh
References (18)
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