British Native Trees
and Shrubs

Bramble Rubus fruticosus (Rosaceae)

Thy fruit full well the schoolboy knows,
Wild bramble of the brake;
So put forth thy small white rose,
I love it for his sake.
To the Bramble Flower

Ebenezer Elliot

 

Bramble’s sweet blackberries are instantly recognizable but this vigorous deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub is extremely variable and difficult to identify exactly because there are over 400 microspecies. Its tough, arching stems are armed with prickles can grow to 2 m or more, bearing leaves consisting of three to five, oval, toothed leaflets which open in April and in sheltered spots may stay on the plant through the winter. They can turn crimson, scarlet, orange, yellow or bronze in autumn. Panicles of pretty, five-petalled pink or white flowers appear from May to September, followed by the familiar fruits which are groups of many one-seeded drupes, green at first then ripening from red to glossy black in autumn.

Bramble is common in woodland, hedgerows and scrub throughout England.

Gardeners may balk at cultivating the bramble because it can quickly form a dense, unwieldy mass. But it is a rewarding plant with attractive flowers, delicious fruit and often coloured leaves in autumn. It can be trained on a trellis or against a wall, cutting out the old stems in spring after their second season and removing suckers and seedlings to check its spread. It may be included in a woodland corner or a hedge, making it proof against intruders. In small gardens it can be grown in a reasonably large container, making it easier to control. Bramble needs sun to flower and fruit well, but will grow in semi-shade, and thrives in most well-drained soils, from acid to alkaline. Propagation is easily achieved by layering the tips, cutting off the rooted pieces in spring and growing on. Greenwood cuttings can be rooted in summer.

Bramble blossoms are a rich source of pollen throughout summer, its spreading petals forming a landing stage for bees, and they provide nectar for butterflies, including the peacock, small tortoiseshell and comma. The plant is home to a wide range of smaller insects, including the shield-bug, and birds and small mammals relish the fruits. Bramble makes excellent cover for nesting birds.

Page last updated - January 10, 2002  

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