Nature Detective: Thimbleberry

When you are hiking in the Adirondack High Peaks you may come across a plant with wide leaves resembling a maple leaf. 

The Thimbleberry or Flowering raspberry is native to eastern North American.  Other common names are White flowering raspberry or Salmonberry.

It does not have thorns like its raspberry relative. The shrub can go between 1 ft - 6 ft. It is deciduous with the leaves turning a brilliant orange-maroon in autumn. 

Flowers: The purple/pink flower produces from early spring through early fall.  The fruit resembles a large raspberry but is fuzzy to the touch. 

Edible? The berries are edible but bland. The berry tends to dry as it matures but a wonderful food source for birds and mammals.  The fruit resembles a thimble, hence the name. 

Where to see it? In wooded areas and partial shade. 

© Diane Chase, Adirondack Family Activities™ Adirondack Family Time guidebooks

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