Rubus rosifolius
Smith
Rose-leaf bramble
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Leaves
The red fruit, up to 15mm in diameter, can be eaten raw or cooked in pies, preserves, and similar preparations. It is a type of raspberry but lacks any particularly pleasant flavour, being rather insipid when raw. It is usually better cooked, making good tarts and jams. The leaves are also edible, though no further details are given.
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.
Rose-leaf bramble: Thorny woody canes (brambles), aggregate berry made of many drupelets, berries pull easily from receptacle.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant. It can grow in the lowlands and highlands. Plants are resistant to drought and frost. They are common in forests of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in the Philippines at low and medium altitudes. They are common in the highlands. In Papua New Guinea, Rubus rosifolius grows from 750-2800 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.
Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Brazil*, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Polynesia, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Sikkim, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, St Helena, St Lucia, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Papua, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A spiny evergreen creeping shrub. It grows to 3 m high and spreads to 3 m across. The stem is trailing and forms suckers. The leaves have 3 to 7 leaflets on opposite sides of the stalk. These are either smooth or hairy with lobed edges. The leaflets are 1-9 cm long. The flowers are white and 3 cm across. The fruit are red and about 1.5 to 2 cm across. They occur on their own or in clusters. They are juicy and tasteless. They have several seeds inside which are very tiny.
Nutrition Score: 10/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 82.9 | — | — | 1.3 | — | 1 | — | 0.3 |
How to Grow
Plants are grown from seed. They both grow wild. The fruit are crushed in water and the seeds float free. These are left overnight when the seeds sink and the flesh floats. Seeds can take 3 months to germinate. They could be grown by division of the root or from cuttings. Cuttings grown easily.
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 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 or August in a frame. Tip layering can be done in July, with plants set out in autumn. Division is possible in early spring or just before leaf-fall in autumn.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves and roots are anodyne, astringent, and depurative. A decoction of the leafy stems is used in the treatment of fevers.
Other Uses
A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Rubus rosifolius, (sometimes spelled Rubus rosaefolius), also known as roseleaf bramble, Mauritius raspberry, thimbleberry, Vanuatu raspberry and bramble of the Cape is a species of prickly subshrub. Its double-flowered variety is named Rubus rosifolius var. coronarius (synonym: Rubus coronarius).
Other Information
The plants are common in Papua New Guinea. The fruit is eaten especially by children. It is cultivated.
Notes
There are about 250 Rubus species.
Names & Synonyms
Arbei tropis merah, Beberetean, Bramble-of-the-Cape, Cape bramble, Dum la-huong, Fongwez, Framboesa-silvestre, Frambuesa, Frutilla del monte, Gahkyeng, Gampe aselu, Gempe aselu, Gharunggung, Gucen, Init, Kashempong-pot, Katigaro, Kobabol kul, Kongxinpao, Malief, Mantum, Maranguinho-do-mato, Mauritius raspberry, Mon barang, Sagmit, Sapinit, Sepfulicu, Sumugisim, Thimbleberry, Tropical Red raspberry, Ujen-ujen, Voaroy, Zarza
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