Practical
Plants

Rubus squarrosus

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

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rubus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
0.3 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Insects
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Fruit - raw or cooked[4]. Sap - raw or cooked[4].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Sap

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
New Zealand.
Habitat
Forests in lowland to montane areas throughout New Zealand[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
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[6]. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[6].

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][6]. When grown in a sunny position this plant does not flower or fruit, it also produces skeletonized leaves in such a position and looks very different from the woodland form[2]. A large climbing plant in its native range but it is not very hardy in Britain, succeeding outdoors only in the mildest areas of the country where it makes a small shrub[5]. Even there it is best grown against a sunny wall[7]. A plant is growing outdoors in a sheltered position in light woodland at Cambridge Botanical Gardens, it has survived at least one cold winter outdoors there[K]. This species is closely related to R. cissoides[7]. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if fruit and seed is required. Fruit is seldom formed in Britain[7]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[6].

References

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  4. Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-340-508302

    ↩1↩2

  5. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  7. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961-00-00

    ↩

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