Salmonberry - Rubus spectabilis
Salmonberry - Rubis spectabilis
Edible plant - novice
Other common names: Joffelberry
Season - Summer
Scientific name meaning: Rubus is from the Latin Rubra, meaning red. Spectabilis is also Latin and means remarkable, in relation to this plant's flowers
Habitat
Found in wooded or shaded areas, particularly near rivers and streams. It prefers moist soils. Introduced from North America by the Victorians as a cover plant for game birds, it has now naturalised in the UK. It seems to be particularly prevalent in Scotland
Overall structure
Salmonberry has thin, erect, woody stems that are 1-4m tall. The lower part of the stem is often bare, with the foliage at the uppermost aspect. It s most often found as a thicket
Leaves
The bright-green leaves are trifoliate - having three leaflets. The base pair of leaflets have a large lower lobe, giving the leaf an almost palmate appearance. The leaflets' edges are toothed. A small amount of prickles are present on the underside of the leaf
Stems
The round stems are thin and erect. The new growth is bright green and ages to become brown and woody. The stems have more aggressive prickles than a raspberry, but considerably fewer than most species of Blackberry
Flowers
The flowers are bright pink in colour with five large petals. The flowers appear from early spring to early summer
Fruits
The fruits are made up of many drupelets - like a Blackberry or Raspberry - and are orange or red. The remains of the male reproductive parts are clearly visible between the fruit and sepals. When the fruit is removed, the central core (receptacle) remains attached the plant, like a raspberry. They ripen in summer
Possible lookalikes
Could easily be confused with Raspberry, however this has much duller fruit and pinnately compound leaves. Could also be confused with Cloudberry, but this is a low-growing plant with palmately lobed leaves. Both of these plants also have edible fruits
Use as a food The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, and is thought to be more sweet and strongly flavoured in warmer summers. It has a pleasant tang.
Young stems can be peeled and eaten raw or cooked. The leaves can be used to make an infusion (tea) and the flowers can be eaten raw.
Hazards None known at time of writing
Problems It is a non-native and can out-compete native flora
Use in herbal medicine Salmonberry has been used to treat stomach complaints, burns, and labour pains, as well as being used as an analgesic and astringent
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner
Other uses can be used to prevent soil erosion on river banks
Importance to other species provides a food source for birds and mammals
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!