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Rubus chamaemorus - L.

Common Name Cloudberry
Family Rosaceae
USDA hardiness 2-4
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Cool boggy places, often found amongst bilberries on hills and mountain sides, avoiding shade and calcareous soils.
Range Northern Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Germany and N. Asia.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Wet Soil Full sun
Rubus chamaemorus Cloudberry


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubus_cham%C3%A6morus.jpg
Rubus chamaemorus Cloudberry

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Rubus chamaemorus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Bees, flies. The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Bog Garden; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Fruit
Edible Uses: Tea

Fruit - raw or cooked[183, 257]. Sour but delicious, the fruit can be eaten out of hand or stewed, used in preserves, pies etc[183]. Rich in vitamin C[257]. The sweet fruit tastes like baked apples[207]. Flowers - raw. The fresh or dried leaves are used as a tea substitute.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Febrifuge  Infertility  TB  Vitamin C

A decoction of the roots has been used as 'woman's medicine'[257]. A decoction of the root and lower stem has been used by barren women to try and become pregnant[257]. The root has been used in the treatment of coughs, fevers and consumption[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[168]. This species is used in breeding programmes for the raspberry (Rubus idaeus) in order to improve the fruit flavour[317 ].

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[1, 11, 200]. Avoids calcareous soils in the wild and is often found in boggy soils[17]. Considered to be a gourmet fruit, it is occasionally sold in speciality stores[183]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length [1-2].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

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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 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[200]. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Rubus bifronsHimalayan berry, Hybrid European blackberry, Hybrid blackberryShrub1.5 0-0  LMHSNM101
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Rubus buergeri Shrub3.0 5-9  LMHSNM201
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Rubus caucasicus Shrub0.0 -  LMHSNM201
Rubus caudatus  0.0 -  LMHSNM201
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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

1117200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Jennifer Russell   Tue Aug 24 20:35:33 2004

Hi! I am from Newfoundland, Canada, and the "bakeapple" or cloudberry is quite common here. I was just checking to see if there was anywhere else in the world that it grew. I guess there is!! I would be curious to know if your cloudberry and our bakeapple have adapted differently! It is common for that to happen in Newfoundland for some reason! Must have something to do with living on an island! Your page was quite useful to me! Perhaps you can add Newfoundland and Labrador to its range! Thanks, Jennifer

Marguerite Dawson-Bomberry   Tue Jul 10 2007

I am looking for bakeapple/cloudberry plants. If someone knows where I can purchase some please contact me via e-mail. [email protected]

Michael   Thu Oct 16 2008

I am also looking for a supplier of cloudberry plants for growing in Caithness, Does anyone know of a supplier? Thanks in anticipation, Michael

angus ross   Thu Feb 12 2009

Does anyone know of a supplier of cloudberry plants? I would be very interested to hear from you if so!

Mark Deichmann   Tue May 19 2009

We have alot of cloudberries here in northern norway and are considering progagating.I can recieve comments at [email protected]

Helen Hodder   Tue Jun 9 2009

looking for them myself, after eating them in Norway wheremy daughter now lives. Found a listing at Poyntzfield nursery Scotland 01381 610352 .

   Fri Jul 24 2009

Cloudberry plants for cultivation are available in Finland. At least one should be available US. In Finland: Set of 2male + 8female cost 25eur.Cultivations also named 'Apollen', 'Fjordgull', 'Nuby' which sound like Swedish or Norwegian which they are perhaps originated. Seeds are available f.ex. http://www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com/carth.asp?species=Rubus%20chamaemorus&sref=51098

cloudberry plants   Feb 21 2011 12:00AM

Cloudberry plants have been growing on our nursery, Peuraniemen taimitarha, since 2002. We have both Norwegian and Finnish cultivars. Norwegians are Fjellgull, Fjordgull (females) and Apollen, Apolto (males). The Finnsih is hermaphrodite cultivar, Nyby. Found from the western coast of Finland. See or contact www.peuraniementaimitarha.fi
Peuraniemen taimitarha

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