Rubus thibetanus
species of plant
Rubus thibetanus, sometimes known as ghost bramble, is a deciduous species of bramble.
Description
Rubus thibetanus grows to 2–3 metres (6+1⁄2–10 feet) tall, with reddish-brown, cylindric branchlets, and sparse prickles. The leaves are pinnately compound and triangular overall, appearing rather fernlike. The flowers are white, emerging in June. In August it bears fruit, which are globular, purplish-black or dark red aggregate fruits ("berries"), 8–10 millimetres (5⁄16–3⁄8 in) in diameter.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to western China, where it is found in Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Xizang (Tibet) provinces at altitudes of 900–2,100 m (3,000–6,900 ft), usually in dry areas in ravines, thickets, ditches, and on the edges of forests.
The Chinese name may be translated into English as Tibetan dewberry. In transcribed Chinese, it is called xu zang xuan gou zi.
Uses
In cultivation in the UK, Rubus thibetanus has won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
While some sources list the fruit as edible, the Royal Horticultural Society lists it as inedible.
The public source identifies “Rubus thibetanus” as species of plant. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Rubus, thibetanus and species.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1023676. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Rubus thibetanus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.