The genus Rubus, (especially the blackberries, which are often loosely referred to as Rubus fruticosus agg.) presents some of the most difficult taxonomic problems. This is partly due to the frequency of polyploidy; also to the frequent occurrence of hybridization; and also due to apomixis, where minor differences between plants are preserved because seedlings are genetically identical to their parent. As a result, differences of opinion on the number of species to be recognized from a given region can vary tremendously (for example, a treatment by M. L. Fernald[] in 1950 recognized 205 species for the northern half of the eastern United States plus parts of southeastern Canada, whilst H. A. Gleason and A. Cronquist in 1991 recognized only 25)[]. Where possible, a relatively conservative approach is taken here[].

Common Name:

General Information

Rubus urticifolius is a shrub producing each year a cluster of arching, stems from a woody rotstock; the plant can grow 150 - 250cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes cultivated for its fruit in S. America[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Clombia and Venezuela, ; C. America - Panama to Guatemala and southern Mexico.

Habitat

Moist or wet thickets or forest, sometimes in brushy fields; at elevations from 600 - 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Species in this genus are generally easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[, , ].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. A sour flavour[]. The black or dark purple fruit is rather small[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - germinates best if given a period of cold stratification prior to sowing in containers. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and is best sown as early as possible in the growing season. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on until large enough to plant out.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood in a frame[].
Tip layering towards the end of the growing season
Division just before the plant comes into new growth or as it enters dormancy[].

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