Rubus macropetalus — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, and can also be dried for later use. Both fresh and dried leaves can be used to make a tea.

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

SAFE

California blackberry

Rubus macropetalus

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

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

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant.

North America, USA,

Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, St Vincent

How to Identify

A deciduous shrub with hermaphrodite flowers pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with a preference for well-drained conditions. Grows in mildly acidic, neutral, or mildly alkaline soils. Suitable for semi-shade in light woodland or full sun, and prefers consistently moist soil.

How to Grow

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. Sometimes cultivated for its edible fruit, there are some named forms. 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

An infusion of the leaves has been used in the treatment of stomach complaints.

Other Uses

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

Wikipedia

A deciduous shrub with hermaphrodite flowers pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with a preference for well-drained conditions. Grows in mildly acidic, neutral, or mildly alkaline soils. Suitable for semi-shade in light woodland or full sun, and prefers consistently moist soil.