Rubus lineatus

Rubus lineatus is a shrub in the rose family. Its common names include silky-leaved berry and silky-leaved bramble. Its native range runs from Nepal to southern China. It also grows in parts of western and southern Malesia. Wild plants grow on hillsides, in valleys, and beside forests. They also occur beneath trees and in fallow fields. In Sikkim, it grows in the oak forest region.

This shrub may keep some leaves or lose them all. It sends up suckers and can take a climbing form. Garden plants reach about 8–13 feet [2.5–4 metres] tall and wide. Some climbing stems reach 33 feet [10 metres] in length. Woolly stems bear only a few very small prickles. The leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the stems. Each palmate leaf has five long leaflets with toothed edges. The middle leaflet is the longest of the five. Deep green upper surfaces contrast with silvery, silky undersides. Many close, parallel veins give each leaflet a lined look.

Small white flowers grow in short clusters at leaf joints. The RHS describes these flowers as double. Insects pollinate the flowers, and small fruits follow in autumn. The fruits range from yellow to orange or red. They measure about 0.28–0.39 inches [7–10 millimetres] across. People gather wild fruit for food in some areas. They can eat it raw or cook it. No hazards are known in the supplied plant-use sources. This does not establish safety for every person or pet.

Grow this shrub in sun or partial shade. It suits moist soil that drains well. The RHS accepts chalk, clay, loam, and sandy soils. It lists neutral soil and a sheltered site. Its UK hardiness rating is H5. Plants For A Future gives USDA zones 8–11. Oregon State instead places its hardiness threshold at zone 9. The RHS gives five to ten years to reach full size.

The leaves give this plant its main garden value. It suits informal gardens, banks, slopes, and woodland edges. Its fruit can yield purple to dull blue dye. People also use the stems to make fences. No medicinal uses are recorded in the supplied evidence. The RHS reports few pest problems, but grey mould can occur. Honey fungus is another risk, though the RHS calls it rare. Gardeners can divide plants from autumn through early spring. Summer softwood cuttings and winter hardwood or root cuttings offer alternatives.