Practical
Plants

Rubus flagellaris

Northern Dewberry

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Rubus genus in the family Rosaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rubus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
0.2 m
Spread
2 m
Fertility
Insects, Apomixy
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects, Apomixy

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked in pies, preserves etc[13][14][2][5][7][8][11]. A rich flavour[12]. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter[9]. Young shoots - peeled and eaten raw[8]. They are harvested as they come through the ground in spring and whilst they are still young and tender. The dried leaves make a fine tea[8].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Stem
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The root is astringent, stimulant and tonic[11]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea, venereal disease and rheumatism[11]. An infusion has been used as a wash in the treatment of piles[11]. The root has been chewed as a treatment for a coated tongue[11]. The leaves are astringent[11]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea[11].

Product or use
Antihaemorrhoidal
Product or use
Antirheumatic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
VD

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[6]. A black dye is obtained from the green twigs[10].

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America.
Habitat
Dry fields, openings and borders of thickets[12] in slightly acid soils[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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 is best sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[9]. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[9].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[1][3][9]. A very polymorphic species[12], it is sometimes cultivated for its edible fruit and there are some named varieties[1][7][8]. This species is a blackberry 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[9]. The plant produces apomictic flowers, these produce fruit and viable seed without fertilization, each seedling is a genetic copy of the parent[9]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  4. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩

  5. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  6. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  7. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  10. Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6

    ↩

  11. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  12. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  14. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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