Rubus spectabilis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_spectabilis

These are the principle type of Raspberry native to the Pacific Northwest. I have been eating them my entire life but only as a fruit.

From botanist and Indian Agent James Swan's 1857 book "The Northwest coast, or, Three years' residence in Washington Territory"


"The most pleasant, cooling, and healthy vegetable is the sprout of the wild raspberry (Rubus spectablis). This shoots up with great rapidity, seeming to grow as fast as asparagus. These sprouts are collected in bundles and brought into the lodge, where they are denuded of their tough outer skin, and the centre is as crisp and tender as a cucumber, and, being slightly acid, is delicious. They are slightly astringent; and as the herring begin to make their appearance at the same time, and from their oily nature, and the immoderate manner in which the Indians eat them, are apt to produce disorders of the bowels, the sprouts, being freely eaten at the same time, counteract the effect."

This is really interesting. Thanks for posting. It seems like so many times there are food items hidden in sight of items we already know. This is a lot like broccoli I think. We eat the flower and ignore the fact that the stem and leaves are edible too.

I thought so too and can't wait to try it as many salmon berry abound. The entire book is really interesting, I will link a PDF from the WA secretary of state website for anyone interested in such things in the 'books' forum.

I wonder if other similar raspberrys can be eaten ?
David

Maybe. I know salmon berries bare from a perennial cane, which most raspberries do not. Don't know if that makes a difference. I've eaten little 6 inch blackberry sprouts. They're not bad.

raspberry and blackberry leaf both make a nutritious tea leaf. many commercial herbal tea blends have one of those two...as far as i know it is all species of raspberry and blackberry....

interesting about eating the shoots and canes though. i havent ever seen anyone do that...

I'm very interested in buying a plant of Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis from someone! Very hard to find.  Even better if it is the double flowering variety!

Andrew Barney wrote:I'm very interested in buying a plant of Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis from someone! Very hard to find.  Even better if it is the double flowering variety!

I didn't know that there were double-flowering salmonberries! Do they still produce berries? I know some other flowers that have been bred to have a double-flowered version don't pollinate well because the petals get in the way of the insects?

I haven't bought from this nursery but Google turned up this as a potential spot to get a double salmonberry in the US: https://www.keepingitgreennursery.com/products/rubus-spectabalis-olympic-double-double-flowering-salmonberry

leila hamaya wrote:raspberry and blackberry leaf both make a nutritious tea leaf. many commercial herbal tea blends have one of those two...as far as i know it is all species of raspberry and blackberry....

Raspberry leaf tea is supposed to be very good for menstrual cramps. I've tried it and I'm not sure if it was the hydration or just placebo effect but it worked really well for me, about the same or a bit better than popping a painkiller. The active ingredient is something called fragarine. I would guess there is "probably" some amount of fragarine in other rubus family plants but I haven't been able to find any info on it. Salmonberry and thimbleberry leaves are both supposed to be edible so I don't think it would hurt to try.

Meg Mitchell wrote:

Andrew Barney wrote:I'm very interested in buying a plant of Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis from someone! Very hard to find.  Even better if it is the double flowering variety!

I didn't know that there were double-flowering salmonberries! Do they still produce berries? I know some other flowers that have been bred to have a double-flowered version don't pollinate well because the petals get in the way of the insects?

I haven't bought from this nursery but Google turned up this as a potential spot to get a double salmonberry in the US: https://www.keepingitgreennursery.com/products/rubus-spectabalis-olympic-double-double-flowering-salmonberry

I've only read about it from online sources,  but it sounds as if the double flowering variety was just observed and selected from wild stock. I would assume it sets more berries than a single flowered variety.

Yeah,  Olympic double. I'm tempted to buy that one,  shipping to here would be $50! A little high,  but I'm tempted. If anyone wants to root me a cutting I'd be very pleased.