Rubus parviflorusis a shrub in the Rosaceae family. Its native range is from Alaska to western and eastern U.S. and northern Mexico. Familiar names include thimbleberry, redcaps, and brambles. It can grow at sea level to 10,000 feet in elevation. It can grow naturally along roadsides, railroad tracks, and clearings along the forest line or a clear-cut area. It can grow to around 8 feet tall from a rhizome. This species does not have thorns. The leaves are palmate around 7-8" inches across with five lobes with a fuzzy texture that can also be made into tea. The flowers have five petals that are white and pale yellow stamens. The fruits ripen in mid to late summer. They are an aggregate fruit and not a true berry because of the individual druplets in the center. The fruits are flatter than raspberries but will have small seeds like a raspberry. It is sold as a delicacy in the Keweenaw Peninsula in upper Michigan. It is made into jams and has a bitter-sweet taste. It prefers to grow in full sun with average water needs. Zones 3-10
Germination
Place your seeds and some soil in a ziplock bag. Moisten the mixture enough so it sticks together without water dripping out. Write the name of the seeds on the bag. Place the mixture in your refrigerator for 60 days. Seeds can then be sown into a well-drained, sandy compost and covered lightly with sand or grit. Place the seed tray in filtered bright light and keep moist until germination.
