Thimbleberries(Rubus parviflorus).

Not to be confused with Rubus spectabilis, also called SALMONBERRY, or Rubus occidentalis, also called THIMBLEBERRY.

Rubus parviflorus, commonly called thimbleberry is a species of Rubus, native to western and northern North America, and the Great Lakes region.

Distribution:

The plant is found from British Columbia, east to Ontario and south into North-western Mexico. It grows from sea level in the north, up to elevations of 8,200 ft in its southern range. The species typically grows along roadsides, railroad tracks, and in forest clearings, commonly appearing as an early part of the ecological succession in clear cut and forest fire areas.

Rubus parviflorus is a dense shrub up to 8 ft tall with canes no more than 1/2 inch in diameter, often growing in large clumps which spread through the plant's underground rhizome. Unlike most other members of the genus, it has no prickles. The leaves are palmate, up to 8 inches across, with five lobes; they are soft and fuzzy in texture.

The flowers are up to 2 1/2 inches in diameter, with five white petals and numerous pale yellow stamens. The flower of this species is among the largest of any Rubus species, making its Latin species name parviflorus ("small-flowered") a misnomer.

The plant produces an edible composite fruit around a ½ inch in diameter, which ripen to a bright red in mid to late summer. Like other raspberries it probably should not be considered a true berry, but instead an aggregate fruit of numerous drupelets around a central core(unlike blackberries, however the core is not an intrical part of the fruit ; which may be carefully removed separately from the core when picked, leaving a hollow fruit which (as is the case with all raspberries) bears a resemblance to a thimble, perhaps giving this plant its common name.

Culinary Uses:

Thimble berries are one of the most delicious native berries to be found in British Columbia (there are a lot) and were highly regarded by all early Canadians. Because of its larger size, and because it tends to grow in large clusters, the fruit is easy to pick and appears on the plant as a bright red treasure among soft, maple like, leaves. The tast is very much like other raspberries, but more intense. It is often  claimed that once you have eaten thimble berry pie, jam , jelly or tarts you will never go back to its POORER cousins-the ordinary raspberries!

Actually, the fruit is rather course, and not overly juicy; but it dries and keeps fairly well.

Thimbleberry fruits are larger, flatter, and softer than raspberries, and have many small seeds. Because the fruit is so soft, it does not pack or ship well, so thimbleberries are rarely cultivated commercially. However, wild thimbleberries can be made into a jam which is sold as a local delicacy in some parts of their range. Thimbleberry jam is made by combining equal volumes of berries and sugar and boiling the mixture for two minutes before packing it into jars. The fruits can be eaten raw or dried.© Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.