Rubus parviflorus Nutt.
Thimbleberry (Snow Bramble)
Rosaceae (Rose family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Bryan Kelly-McArthur     (Photo ID #72779)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Rubus parviflorus
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Rubus parviflorus var. parviflorus

Species Information

General:
Medium to tall shrub, 1-2.5 m tall, from extensive rhizomes, often thicket-forming; stems erect to ascending, unarmed, young growth fine-hairy and stalked-glandular, becoming smooth eventually; bark grey, flaking-off.
Leaves:
Alternate, deciduous, long-stalked, mapleleaf-shaped, 10-20 cm across, palmately 3- to 7-lobed, double-saw-toothed, green and smooth to finely glandular-fuzzy on both surfaces, the stalks with reddish glandular hairs; stipules lanceolate, 6-13 mm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 2 to 10 stalked flowers in small, flat-topped, long-stalked, terminal clusters, the flower-stalks glandular-hairy; corollas white, bowl-shaped, the petals 5, spreading, egg-shaped, 10-30 mm long; calyces densely hairy and usually stalked-glandular, 5-lobed, the lobes egg-shaped with long tail-like tips, spreading, 10-20 mm long; ovaries superior; stamens numerous.
Fruits:
Drupelets, velvety-hairy, coherent in a red, hemispheric cluster that falls intact from the dry receptacle (raspberry-like), the berries 1-1.5 cm wide. vol4_8

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
White
Blooming Period:
Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Red
Present from Spring to Summer
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Rubus parviflorus

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
951 0 2500
Slope Gradient (%)
22 0 235

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

189 0 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
4 0 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
8612
Modal BEC Zone Class
ICH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BG(2), BWBS(49), CDF(38), CWH(779), ESSF(1113), ICH(2885), IDF(558), MH(4), MS(717), PP(17), SBPS(27), SBS(1860)

Habitat and Range

Moist to mesic open forests, thickets, streambanks, clearings and roadsides in the lowland to subalpine zones; common throughout S BC, south of approximately 56oN; N to S AK, E to ON and S to MI, MN, N MX, NM and CO.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia