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Dewberry

 

Dewberry

Põldmurakas ehk põldmari

Rubus caesius

 

Some berries turn sweeter when the frost has had a slight bite at them. Dewberries are one of them.

 

Suitable habitats are calcareous soils and the damper parts of the lime stone rich fields of Läänemaa; on stone walls it is even an irritating weed. The dewberry plant grow well in good light conditions; its stems lie along the ground and on the leaf stalks and plant stems are sharp spines. Under a forest canopy the dewberry grows as a bush and there are much fewer stinging spines – so much depends on the habitat.

 

The dewberry fruit is an aggregate of drupes like the raspberry. From the fruits, black when mature and with a bluish wax layer, delicious marmalades and jams can be prepared at home.