Rosaceae FAMILY

Rubus flagellaris

Edibility

4/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Rubus flagellaris is a very variable, deciduous shrub producing each year a cluster of spiny, usually creeping, sometimes low-arching and then creeping stems from a perennial rootstock; the stems can be 2 - 4.5 metres long[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The stems only produce leaves, and do not flower, in their first year, forming usually erect, flowering branches up to 120cm tall in their second year and then dying after fruiting The plant produces a large, tasty fruit and is commonly harvested from the wild for local use as a food, it is also used medicinally. It has often been grown as a fruit crop in the USA, several cultivars have been developed[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEastern and central N. America - Ontario and Quebec, south to northern Mexico, Texas and Florida.

HabitatDry fields, openings and borders of thickets[ 43 Title Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition Publication Author Fernald. M. L. Publisher American Book Co.; New York Year 1950 ISBN 0442222505 Description A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America. ] in slightly acid soils[ 159 Title Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Publication Author McPherson. A. and S. Publisher Indiana University Press Year 1977 ISBN 0-253-28925-4 Description A nice pocket guide to this region of America. ]. Woodlands, savannahs, pine barrens, prairies, meadows, rock outcrops, disturbed areas, dry to seasonally wet soil; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]