Herb: Pacific Dewberry


Latin name: Rubus ursinus


Synonyms: Rubus vitifolius


Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)



Medicinal use of Pacific Dewberry:

The dried bark of the root is astringent and has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. A decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. The roots have been used as a disinfectant wash on infected sores. The fresh fruit has been eaten in the treatment of diarrhoea. A decoction of the entire vine has been used in the treatment of stomach complaints, diarrhoea and a general feeling of sickness. A decoction of the vines and roots has been used in the treatment of vomiting and the spitting of blood.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Habitat of the herb:

Waste places, fields, canyons etc below 1000 metres.

Edible parts of Pacific Dewberry:

Fruit - raw or cooked and used in pies, preserves etc. The fruit can also be dried for later use. A sweet flavour. The fruit can vary in flavour, the best forms have a large, sweet and well flavoured fruit, whilst some forms are large but sour or insipid. Young shoots - raw or cooked like asparagus. They are harvested in the spring as they emerge through the soil and are still tender. A tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves. The young shoots can be made into a tea, usually mixed with the young shoots of other Rubus species. The half-ripe fruits can be soaked in water to make a pleasant drink.

Other uses of the herb:

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.

Propagation of Pacific Dewberry:

Seed - requires stratification, is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed as early as possible in the year in a cold frame and stratify for a month at 3°C if sowing later than February. 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. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring.

Cultivation of the herb:

Waste places, fields, canyons etc below 1000 metres.

Known hazards of Rubus ursinus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.