Cloudberry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iCloudberry

From "Bilder ur Nordens Flora" (1917-1926)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Rubus
Species:	R. chamaemorus

Binomial name

Rubus chamaemorus
L.

The cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), also called bakeapple in Newfoundland and Labrador and Cape Breton Island and salmonberry throughout the majority of western Alaska, is a slow-growing species of Rubus, producing edible fruit. The botanical name derives from the Greek chamai ("dwarf") and morus ("mulberry"). Cloudberry is the name for both the plant and the fruit.

The cloudberry grows to 10-25 cm high. The leaves alternate between having 5 and 7 soft, handlike lobes on straight, branchless stalks. After pollination, the white (sometimes reddish-tipped) flowers form raspberry-sized berries. Encapsulating between 5 and 25 drupelets, each fruit is initially pale red, ripening into an amber colour in early autumn.

1 Distribution
2 Propagation
3 Uses
4 Cloudberry in alcoholic drinks
- 4.1 Pathogens
- 4.2 Other names
5 Trivia
6 External links

[edit] Distribution

Cloudberries occur naturally throughout the Northern Hemisphere from 78°N, south to about 55°N, and very scattered south to 44°N mainly in mountainous areas. In Europe and Asia, they grow in the Nordic countries, the moorlands of Britain and Ireland, the Baltic states, and across northern Russia east to the Pacific Ocean. Small populations are also found further south, as a botanical vestige of the Ice Ages; it is found in Germany's Weser and Elbe valleys, where it is under legal protection. In North America, cloudberries grow wild across most of Canada and Alaska, and in the lower 48 states of the United States in northern Minnesota, New Hampshire, Maine, and a small population on Long Island, New York.

It grows in bogs, marshes and wet meadows and requires sunny exposures in acidic ground (between 3.5 and 5 pH). The cloudberry can withstand cold temperatures down to well below -40°C, but is sensitive to salt and to dry conditions.

[edit] Propagation

Unripe cloudberry

Ripe cloudberry

Unlike most Rubus species, the cloudberry does not self-pollinate. Pollination requires a plant of the opposite sex. Wide distribution occurs due to the opening of capsules by birds and animals and the excretion of the indigestible seeds. Further distribution arises through its rhizomes which can develop extensive berry patches.

Despite its modern demand as a delicacy exceeding supply (particularly in Norway) the cloudberry is principally a wild plant.

Since the middle of the 1990s, however, the cloudberry has formed part of the "Northernberries" research project. The Norwegian government, in co-operation with Finnish, Swedish and Scottish counterparts, has vigorously pursued the aim of enabling commercial production of various wild berries (Norway imports 200 - 300 tonnes of cloudberries per year from Finland). Beginning in 2002, selected cultivars have been available to farmers, notably "Apolto" (male), "Fjellgull" (female) and "Fjordgull" (female). The cloudberry can be cultivated in arctic areas where few other crops are possible, for example along the northern coast of Norway.

[edit] Uses

The ripe fruits are golden-yellow, soft and juicy, and are rich in vitamin C. When eaten fresh, cloudberries have a distinctive tart taste. They are often made into jams, juices, tarts or liqueurs. In Finland the berries are eaten with "Leipäjuusto" (a local cheese, when translated directly means "bread-cheese") and much sugar. In Sweden, they are also used as an ice cream topping. In Norway, they are eaten with whipped cream and lots of sugar, or in cakes. In Canada, cloudberries are used to flavour a special beer. Canadians also use them for jam, but not on the same scale as Scandinavians.

Due to its high vitamin C content, the berry is valued both by Nordic seafarers and by Canadian Inuit as protection against scurvy. Its high benzoic acid content acts as a natural preservative.

Tea made from cloudberry leaves was used in ancient Scandinavian herbal medicine to cure urinary tract infections.

[edit] Cloudberry in alcoholic drinks

In Nordic countries traditionally liquers such as Lakkalikööri are made of cloudberry. It has a strong taste and a high sugar content. Cloudberry has also served as a spice for aquavit.

Rodrigues Winery in Newfoundland has made a delicious and award-winning wine and liqueur from these berries .

Dogfish Head Brewery has made an Arctic Cloudberry Imperial Wheat beer, which was inspired by the cloudberry lambic dubbed Soleil de Minuit made by Brasserie Cantillon for the Akkurat pub in Stockholm.

[edit] Pathogens

Cloudberry is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth.

[edit] Other names

The Finnish 2-Euro coin displays the cloudberry fruit and leaves.

Other names for the cloudberry include:

Canada: "plaquebiere", "chicoutai" (in Quebec), "bakeapple" (in Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island)
Catalan: "romegueró de torbera"
Cup'ig: "atsar atsakutag" (plural)
Czech: "ostružiník moruška"
Danish: "multebær"
Dutch "kruipbraam", "gele bosbraam"
Estonian: "rabamurakas" (commonly used); "kaarlad", "kaarmed", "kaarnad", "käbalad", "muuramed" (locally used)
Finnish: "lakka", "suomuurain", "hilla", "muurain", "lintti", "valokki"
French: "mûre des marais", "plaquebière", "ronce des tourbières", "ronce petit-mûrier", "mûre arctique"
German: "Moltebeere", "Multebeere", "Multbeere", "Torfbeere"
Greek: "άγριο βατόμουρο" ("βατόμουρο")
Hungarian: "törpemálna", "Sarki szeder", "Lápi málna", "tőzegmálna"
Icelandic: "múltuber"
Inari Sámi: "lyeme"
Iñupiaq: "aqpik" or "ᐊᖅᐱᒃ"
Italian: "camemoro"
Jamtlandic: "mylta"
Lithuanian: "paprastoji tekšė"
Northern Sámi: "luomi"
Norwegian: "molte", "multe", "multebær", "myrbær" (whilst unripe)
Polish: "malina moroszka", "moroszka"
Portuguese: "amora-branca-silvestre"
Russian: "морошка" ("moroshka")
Sakha: "ыт тиҥилэҕэ" ("yt tingileghe")
Siberian Yup'ik: "akavsik" (plural)
Skolt Sámi: "lue'm"
Slovak: "ostružina moruška"
Spanish: "mora de los pantanos", "mora ártica", "mora de ronces", "camemoro", "camemoro ártico"
Swedish: "hjortron" (commonly used); "multebär", "myrbär", "snåtterblomma", "solbär" (locally used)
Yup'ik: "naunraq", "atsalugpiaq"