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Rubus strigosus
[Synonyms : Batidaea strigosa, Batidea acalyphacea, Batidea arizonica, Rubus carolinianus,
Rubus idaeus var. canadensis, Rubus idaeus var. gracilipes, Rubus idaeus var.
melanolasius, Rubus idaeus var. melanotrachys, Rubus idaeus var. peramoenus, Rubus
idaeus subsp. strigosus, Rubus melanolasius, Rubus neglectus, Rubus strigosus var.
acalyphaceus, Rubus strigosus var. arizonicus, Rubus strigosus var. canadensis]
WILD RED RASPBERRY is a prickly biennial shrub. Native to North America it has roselike greenish-white or white flowers.
It is also known as Agthamugi (Omaha and Ponca North American Indian), American
raspberry, American red raspberry, Amerikanische Himbeere (German), Amerika aka
miki ichigo (Japanese), Amerika reddo razuberii (Japanese), Aparu (Pawnee North
American Indian), Arbre à framboises (Canadian, French), Cao fu mao xuan gou zi
(Chinese), Framboisier (French-Canadian), Framboisier d’Amérique (Canadian, French),
Frambueso rojo (Spanish), Grayleaf red raspberry, May berry, Raspberry, Red raspberry,
Rouvos o smeriggoidis (Greek), Takahecha-hu (Dakota and Ponca North American
Indian), and Western red raspberry.
Strigosus means ‘with stiff bristles’.
The juicy and tasty light-red fruit were eaten by local North American Indian tribes including
the Hoh, Menominee, Montana Indian, Cheyenne, Shuswap, Hanaksiala, Chippewa,
Oweekeno, Potawatomi, Pawnee, Kitasoo, Dakota, Haisla, Quileute and Ponca. The
Potawatomi made them into preserves, and they and some of the Chippewa also used the
berries to make jam. Several tribes including the Pawnee, Hoh, Chippewa, Iroquois,
Dakota, Quileute, Ponca and Omaha all stored the fruit for later use, primarily for food in
Winter or as say in the case of the Iroquois for hunting provisions. Quite a few tribes not
least the Hanaksiala, Omaha, Dakota, Pawnee, Haisla and Ponca also made a tea with the
leaves – while some of the Chippewa made a used the twigs to make a beverage.
The shrub was a source of medicine for a few Indian tribes. Chippewa Indians used it to treat
measles and dysentery, while the Cherokee seem to have turned to it as a purgative or a
remedy for some female disorders. Thompson Indians took it to stem internal bleeding,
the Omaha gave it to their children for bowel problems, and some of the Chippewa took a
crushed root decoction for stomach-ache. Both the Potawatomi and Chippewa tribes
appear to have used a root or root bark infusion as an eyewash, the Meskwaki and some
of the Chippewa flavoured medicines with it, and the Thompson Indians took a root
decoction as a tonic.
The first European to identify it was probably a French lawyer, Marc Lescarbot (c. 1567- c.
1629) when he was a member of an expedition in Canada in 1607.
©Sue Eland 2008
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