Rubus nepalensis

Nepalese Raspberry Rosaceae

A handsome, low-growing evergreen to semi-evergreen bramble forming a spreading mat of slender, trailing stems clothed in attractive trifoliate foliage. Small white flowers appear in late spring and are followed by small, rounded red fruits. Unlike many brambles, it remains low and compact, making it an excellent groundcover for woodland edges, banks and beneath shrubs. Kew accepts R. nepalensis as a distinct species, with its natural range extending from the western and eastern Himalaya through Nepal, Assam and Bhutan. 

The fruits are edible, although small and somewhat acidic rather than particularly sweet. In western Nepal the plant is traditionally known as bhui aaiselu, and its fruits are gathered as a wild food. Ethnobotanical surveys specifically record the fruits being eaten, placing R. nepalensis among the locally important wild fruiting plants of the region. 

An excellent choice for cool, humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil in partial shade, although it will tolerate a range of conditions provided it does not become excessively dry. Its naturally mat-forming habit makes it useful for groundcover, banks and woodland planting. It is hardy in most of Britain, with the RHS rating it H5. 

Flowering: May–June
Fruit: July–August
Hardiness: H5, approximately –15 to –10°C
Height: 10–20cm
Spread: 60–100cm