Arctic Raspberry – Rubus Articus

The Arctic Raspberry (Rubus articus) is a berry, similar to the raspberry, that derives from its namesake, a bramble belonging to the rose family, found in arctic and alpine regions and in the borealis forests.
It has pink flowers, leaves made up of 3 small leaves and with a delicious and unique fragrance; the arctic raspberry is widely spread in the north of Scandinavia and in the subarctic regions of Eurasia.
The Arctic Raspberry is only a few centimetres tall and has a perennial root system, creeping, capable of colonising and covering the soil where it is cultivated. Each year, from the buds at the base short aerial twigs are born, grassy that dry out in autumn.
The flower buds reach a height of 25-45 cm. Although the perfumed purple flowers are hermaphrodites they are sterile. The chalice is weakly attached to the fruit that ripen slowly: they are drupes made up of several drupes, a bright dark red, juicy when ripe, with a pleasant acidity. A great strength is its perfume, similar to that of the strawberry.
For this raspberry medium mixed soils are best, porous, fresh, while to be avoided are those that are heavy or loose or too rich in organic substance or peaty. With regard to the reaction of the soil, the arctic raspberry adapts to sublayers with a variable PH from 4 to 7.
In the tests carried out in Northern Italy, the plants stand minimum temperatures up to -22°C. The plants placed with a density of 3-4/mq, in a flowerbed with a width of 1 1,5 5 m and inner line of 0,5 between flowerbeds, develop rapidly and usually by the third year they cover the soil completely.
The plant lasts 6-7 years and starting from the third year you obtain productions of 15-20 kg/mq.

USE AND HEALTH PROPERTIES

The fruit that ripens has an amber colour, they are soft and juicy, rich in vitamin C. When they are consumed fresh, they have a unique acidulous flavour, but if “matured” they have a creamier consistency similar to yogurt and a sweeter taste. The cloudberry is used to prepare marmalades, juices, pies and liqueurs. A fruit with a high content of vitamin C, while the tea, obtained by the infusion of the leaves, was used in Scandinavia to cure urinal infections.

CURIOSITIES

A plant of arctic raspberry, with flowers and fruit, made by the artist Raimo Heino, is portrayed on the Finnish two euro coin.