Updated
March 13, 2008
Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflora)
Family Name: Rosaceae
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A Note from Wally: I grow Rubus
parviflora (Thimbleberry) and many other Northwest Native Plants here in
my Nursery and Gardens in the Willamette Valley in Western Oregon. I
specialize in Northwest Native Plants and sell both Wholesale and Retail,
depending on quantity. I usually have plants available year-round in one
gallon containers and often in various other container sizes and as Bare
Root plants in the Winter months.
Photo by JoAnn Onstott |
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This site is
intended as a reference for all who are interested in Northwest Native
Plants: amateur, professional – everyone. For more information, go to my
Home Page at www.nwplants.com and then
click on Plant Catalog for current prices and availability. Be sure and then click on Plant
Sales for any bargains. If you buy in large quantities, check the Wholesale
Information Sites on my Home Page.
If you have any information about this species – stories, climates,
uses, propagation, etc. please contact me at
nwplants@gmail.com. If I
publish your tips and information, I will credit you on the web and send
you a credit memo.
The following article is by Staff Writer Colleen
Stuckey, who lives on
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
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Thimbleberry should be named the ‘Queen of Berries,’ with her
ruby amulets and velvet green robes. And the taste of her berries is a
regal treat! Thimbleberry is an upright shrub with multiple, thornless
stems or canes reaching heights of 7’. The bark is distinct in that it
peels in tiny fragments. The sizeable leaves are between 4” – 8”
across with five points, reminiscent of a maple leaf. Fine hairs are on
either side of the leaf, making it soft to the touch. No other member of
the Rubus family has this characteristic leaf. Between May and early July,
clusters of 2 –7 showy 1 ½” flowers form. These flowers are
pollinated by insects, after which berries develop. The berries turn from
pink to scarlet when fully ripe and are soft, cup-shaped and full of tiny
seeds. It is easy to know when to harvest berries: when ripe they tumble
effortlessly from the branches at the slightest touch. They ripen
extremely fast–just a few hours on a sunny day can turn a hard, pink
berry red, soft and delectable.
Habitat
and Range: The Thimbleberry has an extensive range, from USDA zones 3 - 9. It
is found from the southernmost stretches of Alaska, south to California
and the mountain ranges in New Mexico, east all the way to the Great Lakes
and north to the 55˚ N latitude. Thimbleberries are generally found
at lower elevations in damp sites at the forest edge on the coast. East of
the Cascade Mountains, however, they grow in drier areas although they far
prefer moist soils. Thimbleberries can tolerate partial to almost full
shade, although the shrubs will grow more lush with more light.
Ornamental Value:
Thimbleberry is a beautiful shrub, with prominent white blossoms and
wide, velvety leaves that form a dense cover. The vibrant scarlet berries
compliment the green foliage.
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Native Plant Gardening / Wildlife Habitat:
Thimbleberry bushes attract a myriad of wildlife. The flowers are a
source of nectar for butterflies, the berries are relished by birds and
mammals alike and the dense cover of the large leaves acts to protect
animals and birds from predation. Quail, grouse, partridge, thrushes,
thrashers, towhees, cardinals and grosbeaks are just some of the birds
that feed on the ripe berries. But competition for the berries is stiff!
Bears, coyotes, raccoons, squirrels, foxes, opossums and skunks are also
very fond of the juicy little treasures. Factor in the lower level
browsers–the voles, rabbits, porcupines and beavers--and then the
taller mammals–the deer, moose and Bighorn sheep–all feeding on
the twigs, buds and leaves and it’s a wonder any of these shrubs can
survive!
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Photo by JoAnn Onstott |
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From a gardener’s point of view, these bushes are attractive and
pragmatic. Not only can they lure the robins and other winged villains
from more prized berry plants (although you ought to taste Thimbleberries,
maybe they are the prize–I certainly think so!) but also they can be
planted outside of your deer-proof fencing, as the bushes will tolerate
browsing. Consider planting Thimbleberry bushes to hide an unsightly
feature in your backyard, as the large leaves will quickly form a low
canopy.
Restoration and Mitigation Value:
Although not helpful in curbing erosion, Thimbleberry grows well on
disturbed sites. In fact, Thimbleberry is one of the first plants to
assert itself after a major disturbance such as a clear-cut, a fire or a
site clearing. Although the top growth may be killed, the rhizomes remain
alive and re-sprout. There is also evidence that disturbances serve to
waken dormant seed that have lain buried. After such a disturbance,
Thimbleberries compete with certain conifers–namely, Western hemlock,
Sitka spruce and Douglas fir. They often dominate and may slow the return
of these trees. On the other hand, the Engelman spruce, Lodgepole pine,
Western larch and Grand fir can all establish themselves under the shelter
of this shrub.
Historical / Cultural uses:
Many First Nations
groups harvested Thimbleberries extensively. The leaves were mixed with
those of wild strawberry and wild trailing blackberry to make tea. The
sprouts were collected, peeled and eaten raw as a vegetable (an excellent
source of Vitamin C, as are the berries). Berries were eaten fresh and
dried, sometimes with the addition of clams and pressed into cakes, for
winter use. While still pink, they were harvested by some tribes and
placed in cedar bark bags. Water was sprinkled on top and they would ripen
in the bag. I am sure this was most beneficial as the birds and mammals
simply adore these fruit and they fall so quickly from the canes when
ready. The leaves were also used as padding to line baskets. The boiled
bark was an ingredient in soap and the dried and crushed leaves were laid
on burns to prevent scarring.
Edible and Medicinal Uses:
Before consuming any wild plant be absolutely certain that you have
properly identified the plant. It is best to observe a plant through
several seasons and stages of growth to be certain you have the correct
plant. Use extreme caution in preparation as many wild plants have toxic
parts (for example, the roots may be poisonous but not the leaves of some
species) and check with a health care professional before using any wild
plant medicinally. Lastly, do not over harvest: leave ample fruit for
reseeding and wildlife food. Respect that native plants are already in
extreme competition with both human development and such troublesome
invasive species as Scotch Broom (Cystisus scoparius), Gorse (Ulex
europaeus) and Purple Loosestrife (Lysimachia salicaria). By
depleting an area of a native species, you are essentially inviting an
invasive species to establish itself. Pick fruit or leaves in areas where
there are large enough numbers of the plant to support harvesting.
Thimbleberries
are very edible. In fact, they are one of the tastiest fruit in the
Pacific Northwest. Soft, juicy and with a rich flavor, they melt in your
mouth. Some people use the leaves in the same way that they use red
raspberry leaves therapeutically. However, more research is needed to
determine whether the active chemical components are the same between rubus
species.
Propagation Techniques:
Being one of the more difficult of the
Rubus species to
propagate, it may be best to leave this one to the professional
horticulturalist. Cutting the rhizomes into sections during the dormant
winter months and then rooting these cuttings in a cold frame is the
easiest means of multiplying this plant, although these cuttings may not
root.
Plant Associations:
In the moist sites it prefers, Thimbleberry is found in conjunction
with other moisture-lovers: Red Elderberry (Sambucus
racemosa), Cow
Parsnip (Heracleum
lanatum), and Ninebark (Physocarpus),
Vanilla Leaf (Achlys
triphylla), Foamflower (Tiarella spp.)
and Salal (Gaultheria
shallon). In the drier sites it can be found
among Snowberry (Symphoricarpos
spp.), Bigleaf maple (Acer
macrophyllum),
Lupines (Lupinus spp.) and Oceanspray (Holodiscus
discolor). Lastly, in
disturbed sites it grows alongside other pioneer species: Fireweed (Epilobium
angustifolium) and Salal (Gaultheria
shallon).
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See
also these websites within www.nwplants.com:
Complete
Online Catalog
How
to Order
Landscaping
with Native Plants
Seasonal Sales
Wholesale Plants
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Thanks, and happy gardening!
Wally
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Bibliography:
Bradshaw, Christopher T. Trees and Shrubs of British Columbia.
Vancouver, British Columbia: University of British Columbia Press in
conjunction with the Royal British Columbia Museum, 1996
Klinka, K.; Krajina, V.J.;
Ceska, A.; and Scagel, A.M.
Indicator
Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, British Columbia:
University of British Columbia Press, 1989
Lyons, C. P. and Bill Merilees.
Trees, Shrubs and Flowers to Know
in British Columbia and Washington. Vancouver, British Columbia: Lone
Pine Publishing, 1995
Turner, Nancy J. Food Plants of Coastal First
Peoples.
Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia Press in conjunction with
the Royal British Columbia Museum, 1995
Fire Effects Information, USDA, Forest Services, Rocky Mountain
Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, Montana. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis
Plants for a Future (September, 2001) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf
Washington State Department of Transportation, Environmental Affairs
Office, Ethnobotany and Cultural Resources Division (2001) http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/environmental/programs/culres
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