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Thimbleberry
Rubus parviflorus
  
About Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) 38 Nurseries Carry This Plant Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) is a perennial in the Rose family and is related to raspberries and blackberries. Spreading through underground rhizomes, the thornless canes can create a dense stand that is topped by large, maple-like leaves. In the spring, large white flowers bloom above the leaves. A bright red, edible fruit that resembles a raspberry (or a thimble, as the name suggests), ripens in summer.

Bees and other pollinators are attracted to the flowers, and the leaves are a host plant for many different species of butterflies and moths. Birds and other mammals eat the berries.

Thimbleberries grow in partly-shaded forest openings and on moist woodland canyons or slopes. Use Thimbleberry for erosion control on slopes in a forested garden; near shady creeks or streams; or on the north side of a house. Thimbleberry can be used as a native plant substitute for non-native berries in an edible garden or food forest.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Perennial herb, Shrub

Size
Size
4 - 8.2 ft tall

Form
Form
Upright, Spreading

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Moderate, Fast

Dormancy
Dormancy
Winter Deciduous

Fragrance
Fragrance
Fragrant - Pleasant

Flower Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Various birds are attracted to the fruits

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Moderate - High

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -10° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Prefers moist, fertile soil with good drainage. Soil PH: 5.0 - 7.0

Common uses
Common uses
Hedges, Bird Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Use with trees from its native range, such as Fir (Abies sp.), Pine (Pinus sp.), and Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)

Maintenance
Maintenance
Prune in winter to control height and/or spread

Propagation
Propagation?
For propagating by seed: 3 mos. stratification may give satisfactory germination. Soaking in either 1% sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) 7 days or concentrated H2S04 20-60 mins., then 3 mos. warm and 3 mos. cold stratification may improve germination (USDA Forest Service 1974). Easily propagated from stem cuttings.

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
1, 2, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7*, 14, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Shaded, moist areas on the edge of woodland or forest, often in mountains

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 5.6" - 155.0", Summer Precipitation: 0.18" - 5.88", Coldest Month: 23.5" - 52.0", Hottest Month: 42.5" - 77.6", Humidity: 0.01" - 29.33", Elevation: -21" - 11201"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Rubus parviflorus var. velutinus


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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