I'm not in denial anymore. I know the likelihood of any of my little breeding projects actually producing anything viable, never mind any individuals with some garden worthy traits is pretty damn unlikely. Commercial breeders grow thousands upon thousands of plants to find that one winning individual that ends up at your local garden center (or your local farmer's field). But since I'm by no means an expert I'll let you get a bit of a lesson from this enthusiastic terma-breeder (get it? like termninator, except breeder... cause of the German thing... its probably not a good sign when your own jokes make you sad).
As far as pure numbers go there's no way the home gardener can come anywhere's near close, unless you have your own personal working farm with lots and lots of cheap and over-educated labor (which there is actually a lot of these days... so maybe if you have some surplus land and some spare change you could give professional plant breeding a try). But as much as I'm finally being realistic as far as my own limitations are concerned (well kinda realistic-ish, at least compared to my usual standards), this doesn't mean I've lost faith in the potential of the plants I'm working with. On the contrary, while I might be deluding myself, I feel like what home breeders lack in numbers, they can make up for in strategic crosses, exploiting the untapped and under-appreciated diversity within the genus they're working with.
If anything I've only gotten more excited, particularly with the main group of plants I've started working with, Rubus spp., aka raspberries and blackberries. This group becomes even more relevant when you consider the current trend of "patio edibles" (compact plants that do double duty as both ornamentals and productive edibles for the home landscape). Aside from this cosmopolitan genus's general aggressiveness there are many species within this group that have traits that lend themselves really, really well to the garden, mainly relatively big rose-like flowers (to which family they belong), delicious fruit (that freezes really well and is the main component of most of my smoothies!!!), and at least semi-ornamental foliage. Thought I'd use this post to highlight several of the species I'm working with, as well as a few other that hold some untapped potential. Viva la RUBUS!!!
SHRUBBY RUBUS SPP.
Rubus deliciosus syn. Oreobatus deliciosus - Rocky Mountain Raspberry or Boulder Raspberry
Zones 5-9, although I was only able to find 2 sources and one of them said 3
This super showy western North American species has been largely overlooked by the horticultral industry in the states. But of course, as the UK generally does with our underappciated natives, has given the plant it's proper horticultural due by crossing it with a closely related Mexican species (R. trilobus) to produce a popular ornamental across the pond, Rubus x tridel 'Benenden'.
Purchase from: Forest Farm, Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery
Rubus odoratus - Flowering Raspberry
Zones 3-8
Still humming away underneath the radar, this is one of our native shrubs that deserves much wider use in those in between trouble spots, especially in the northeast. STOP USING RHODIES!!!! Use this instead.
Purchase from: Amanda's Garden, Forest Farm, Keeping it Green Nursery, Lazys's Farm, Long Island Natives, White Oak Nursery, Shooting Star Nursery, Wild Ridge Plants, Yellow Springs Farm
Rubus parviflorus - Thimbleberry or White Flowering Raspberry
Zones 3-?9? (I've seen a lot of sources list 9, but since it seems most of the material out there is from the pacific northwest, I can't imagine it would do well much past 7 in the east)
A more refined, slightly more elegant, white flowered version of R. odoratus. While R. odoratus is native to the Northeastern US, R. parviflorus is native to the Pacific Northwest (down to northern California) as well as disjunct populations in the Great Lakes region. The red pedicles, simple white flowers and large crisp green leaves remind me a bit of Geranium macrorrhizum var .album on steroids.
Purchase from: Burnt Ridge Nursery, California Native Nursery, California Native Plants
and Habitat Enhancement Services, Las Pilitas Nursery, Out Back Nursery, Mostly Native Nursery, Rolling River Nursery, Seven Oaks Native Nursery, Wood Brook Native Plant Nursery, *Villager Nursery
*This nursery offers a pink form.
Rubus spectabilis - Salmonberry
Zones 5-8 (although none of the sources I found had a consistent zone range)
One of the tallest species in the Rubus clan, this guy can reach well over 12 ft and fills a similar niche in the pacific northwest as flowering currant, flowering early to attract the first hummers of the season. Despite its stature, based on very superficial observations this species seems more closely allied to R. articus, so I'm not quite sure how to categorize its genetics as far as future breeding work and what it has to offer.
Purchase from: Forest Farm, Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery, Fourth Corner Nurseries, Rain Tree Nursery, Seven Oaks Native Nursery, Yerba Buena Nursery
Rubus x fraseri - Fraser's Raspberry
Zones: ?
A documented hybrid in the UK between R. parviflorus and R. odoratus, and perhaps the queen of the genus. I'm hoping my attempt to cross the two parents of this beauty will be the first of my breeding projects to prove "fruitful" (I have found no source for the hybrid, only confirmation that it's happened, with the pictures to prove it). I'm Hoping to gradually select a seed strain adapted to the northeast that combines the best of both's it's parents. Currently the R. parviflorus material I've obtained has been flower shy, and fairly weak growing, most likely due to its pacific northwest origin (see image below, R. parvilforus is half the size of R. odoratus and a brighter, almost chartruese green). I'm hoping at some point to obtain (hopefully) more heat/drought tolerant material of R. parviflorus from disjunct populations of the species from the Great Lakes region.
Purchase from: ?
GROUNDCOVER RUBUS SPP.
Rubus articus - Artic Raspberry or Arctic Bramble
Zones 2-7, have also seen 1-5
A circumboreal species. The European species was crossed with the western north american subspecies Rubus arcticus subsp. stellatus to get most of the named varieties available in the horticultural trade in the U.S.. All progeny from these crosses are referred to as Rubus x stellarcticus.
Purchase from: KORE Wild Fruit Nursery, Peuraniemi Nursery
Rubus chamaemorus - Cloudberry or Bake Apple
Zones 2(1)-7, guessing
Another circumboreal species. The fruit of this plant actually makes up a substantial part of the economy of northern Scandanavia.
Purchase from: Pacific Rim Native Plant Nursery, Peuraniemi Nursery
Rubus flagellaris - Northern Dewberry
Zones 3-8, guessing
Abundant in the fields and roadsides of where I grew up. Generally prostrate, adaptable and aggressive.
Purchase from: Earth Tones, Possibility Place Nursery
Rubus hispidus - Swamp Dewberry or Bristly Dewberry
Zones 3-7
Purchase from: Out Back Nursery, Shooting Star Nursery
Rubus pubescens - Dwarf Red Blackberry or Dwarf Raspberry
Zones 3-7, guessing
Purchase from: Alpha Nursery, BotanyCa, Prairie Restoration, Inc., Grand Moraine Growers
Rubus lasiococcus - Roughfruit Berry or Dwarf Bramble
Zones ?
A cute little diminutive species from the pacific northwest.
Purchase from: California Flora Nursery, Cornflower Farm
And to conclude my Rubus ridiculousness I leave you with this guy. Your welcome.
