Whitebark raspberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whitebark raspberry |
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| A whitebark raspberry plant | |
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R. leucodermis
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| Rubus leucodermis |
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The whitebark raspberry (scientific name: Rubus leucodermis) is also known as the blackcap raspberry or blue raspberry. This plant is a type of Rubus, which is the same group that includes other raspberries and blackberries. You can find whitebark raspberries growing naturally in western North America. They grow from Alaska all the way south to California, Arizona, New Mexico, and even Chihuahua in Mexico.
The whitebark raspberry is very similar to the eastern black raspberry, Rubus occidentalis. The name leucodermis comes from Greek words meaning "white skin." This name describes the plant well because its stems often look white. This white color comes from a thick, waxy coating on the surface of the stems.
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What is the Whitebark Raspberry?
The whitebark raspberry is a type of deciduous shrub. This means it's a bush that loses its leaves every year, usually in the fall. These bushes can grow to be about 1.5 to 10 feet (0.5 to 3 meters) tall. Their shoots, which are the new stems, have small, sharp prickles.
How Does the Whitebark Raspberry Grow?
Even though the main part of the plant (the crown) lives for many years, its canes (the long stems) only live for two years. In the first year, the canes grow leaves and get bigger. These are called "primocanes." In their second year, these canes produce flowers and then fruit. After they have fruited, they die.
Just like other dark raspberries, the tips of the first-year canes often bend down to the ground in the fall. If they touch the soil, they can take root and form new plants. This is a natural way for the plant to spread.
What Do the Leaves and Fruit Look Like?
The leaves of the whitebark raspberry are made up of several smaller leaflets. On the strong, fast-growing stems in their first year, the leaves usually have five leaflets. On the smaller branches that produce flowers, the leaves typically have three leaflets. The flowers are usually white, but sometimes they can be a light purple color.
The fruit of the whitebark raspberry is small, about 0.4 to 0.5 inches (1 to 1.2 cm) wide. When the fruit first starts to grow, it is red or reddish-purple. As it ripens, it turns a dark purple color, almost black. This fruit is safe to eat and is full of healthy things like anthocyanins and ellagic acid. These are natural compounds that are good for you.
Varieties of Whitebark Raspberry
The whitebark raspberry is a species that can look a bit different depending on where it grows. It can also naturally mix with other types of Idaeobatus plants to form hybrids. Scientists recognize three main types, or varieties, of Rubus leucodermis:
- Rubus leucodermis var. leucodermis – This variety is found from Alaska all the way down to Chihuahua, Mexico.
- Rubus leucodermis var. bernardinus Jepson – This type grows in southern California.
- Rubus leucodermis var. trinitatis Berger – This variety is also found in southern California.
Images for kids
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Ripe fruit of the whitebark raspberry
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Leaves of the plant
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A whitebark raspberry bush growing in Nevada
See also
In Spanish: Frambuesa azul para niños
