Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
luvdaytimeactivities

Thimbleberries Shade/Full Sun? +Where to Buy Now in LA or Online?

Can people give me a consensus that Thimbleberry is a shade plant, or dappled light, or partial shade, --- and *not* a full sun plant? Plus I'm still searching for a plant if anyone knows where I can get a Thimbleberry plant(doesn't have to be organic), + a Blackberry(organic). I would love to be able to get 1 in person somewhere near me in LA; my impression is one can usually only buy small plants online, and I'd prefer something larger and more mature, but am still interested in any online leads. I'd also like to get something now. I am happy to exchange plant cuttings if someone would like to do that as well.

I finally talked to someone who works in a nursery about my situation: He said my situation is not full sun: full sun means 5 hours of direct sunlight; my situation is just early morning light til 10:45am(there may be less light in winter)on an east facing West LA balcony, then indirect the rest of the day; and I can easily put a plant on the balcony where it will get almost entirely shade except maybe a small patter of earliest morning sunlight on part of plant. This means my situation is not ideal for any full sun plant which the nursery person said blackberries, raspberries, and kiwis are( I forgot to ask about strawberries). Its seems to me though that blackberries are so hardy and invasive and I have regularly seen them grow profusely in areas that seemed pretty shaded to me... So I'm wondering if blackberries still might grow in my situation.

But from what you say peachymomo it sounds like Thimbleberries -would- work in my situation. I saw them grow in a park 2 miles west of me when I was a child( about 1/2 mile from the coast); I am within 3 miles of the coast, so have the coastal mistiness...

Thank you!

~Diana(310)936-3150

Comments (3)

  • scot
    13 years ago

    http://www.reesevilleridgenursery.com/4.html you can try this link for plants. is LA Los Angeles or Louisiana?
    you may want to try R. Oderatus, it looks almost identical to thimble berry with a purple flower instead of white, the fruit is good, not as good as thimble berry, but good. it is adapted to a warmer climate. i have a fairly extensive collection of Rubus, and while most are weeds given half a chance, ive selected rare/uncommon varieties from around the globe that have proven a challenge to keep going. the native black raspberry keeps popping up and outcompteting them,,,but fun hobby anyway

  • johnnyrazbrix
    13 years ago

    I have seen Thimble berries growing on the strip of land on western end of lake superior. This is the peninsula that runs roughly from Houghton -Hancock to Copper harbor.
    They were gowing on east side of gravel road just out side copper harbor.As I remember they were growing along roadside for about 5 foot in.The road runs noth and south. On either side of road vegetation ( past berries )was fairly thick I would callit dappled sunlight to part shade. They may very well grow under different conditions and that is how I saw them. Happy berry picking or growing. I too would like to purchase a plant. Johnny

  • oliveoyl3
    13 years ago

    We have native thimbleberries in western WA mostly in a dappled shade location along with other underbrush. They are an understory plant here in the moist humus. They are a fragile berry with a short season. At most I've picked 5 berries from the same bush and they easily come off, so much so that if you're not careful you drop the berry when you pull off. Just like raspberries that the cap stays on the bush... though small, collapsing fingernail sized berries. Best eaten fresh and not saved.

    They die back to canes like raspberries and are difficult to tell apart until leafing out. They should grow from bare root just fine as long as you can duplicate their environment of rich, moist, humousy soil.

    They spread like raspberries, too with suckers, so beware about that.

Sponsored
Grow Landscapes
Average rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars8 Reviews
Planning Your Outdoor Space in Loundon County?