Practical
Plants

Rubus glaucus

Mora De Castilla

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

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rubus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
3 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Apomictic
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Apomictic

Uses

Edible uses

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

Fruit - raw or cooked[4]. Rich, tart and very juicy, they are superior in flavour and quality to most cultivated blackberries and raspberries[4]. The fruit is up to 3cm long[4].

Plant part
Fruit

Material uses

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

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[3].

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
C. and S. America - N. Andes to Mexico.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
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[5]. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[5].

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][2][5]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[5]. Often cultivated in S. America for its edible fruit[4]. Yields of up to 20 tonnes per hectare are achieved in S. America[4]. This species could be useful in hybridization programmes with American and European blackberries and raspberries, but it is susceptible to some N. American raspberry diseases[4]. Closely related to R. occidentalis[5]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[5].

References

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

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

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

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  4. Popenoe. H. et al Lost Crops of the Incas National Academy Press 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-309-04264-X

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  5. 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

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