Rubus saxatilis

A perennial of the Rosaceae family, widely spread across Europe and temperate Asia, from the British Isles to Siberia and Japan. In the mountains, it is found up to about 2,400 meters. It occupies clear undergrowth, shaded rocky areas, forest edges, and stony slopes on various substrates, often calcareous.

Unlike most brambles, it is herbaceous and not woody, barely exceeding 20 to 40 cm in height. It spreads by creeping stolons and forms diffuse colonies. The upright, slightly thorny stems bear trifoliate leaves with oval, toothed leaflets, of a bright green, more reminiscent of a strawberry than the usual raspberry of the genus.

The flowers are small, white, with narrow, upright petals, not very spectacular, gathered in sparse terminal corymbs. In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from May to July depending on altitude and latitude. It is the fruits that form the main ornament of the plant at the end of the season — small, bright red to orange-red drupes, translucent and shiny, grouped in tight clusters of great visual freshness. These fruits are edible, tangy, appreciated in some northern and alpine regions.

In cultivation, it is suitable for cool woodland gardens, in well-drained but not dry soil, in shade or partial shade. Its tendency to colonize by stolons should be monitored in confined spaces.