Cloudberry
Rubus chamaemorus
- Native to:
- Baltic States, Belarus, Canada, China, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greenland, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Kuril Is., Labrador, Norway, Poland, Prince Edward I., Russia, Svalbard, Sweden, United States
Kristian Larsen
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Rubus
- Species:
- Rubus chamaemorus
- USDA Symbol:
- RUCH
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 25 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
⚠️Canadian sphinx (Sphinx canadensis), Freija fritillary (Clossiana freija), Frigga fritillary (Clossiana frigga), Northern grizzled skipper (Pyrgus centaureae)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- peaty, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 3.5 - 5.5 (strongly acidic to acidic)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in bogs and wetlands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require cold stratification and may have erratic germination. Fresh seed germinates more readily.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Not given
Establishment: The provided protocol lacks specific information on propagation source, pre-treatment, establishment protocol, temperature, germination rate, and germination time range for Andromeda polifolia.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Expose to fluctuating outdoor winter temps incl. freezing for 3 months. Increase light/temp in spring. Requires scarification.