Back to the bakeapple

More and more, after trying various unsuccessful methods to germinate this species, I wonder why some people would bother to attempt growing it from seeds; except perhaps from curiosity.

The latest update (#3) on Rubus chamaemorus germination was added in the same post with update #2 and can be found HERE.

I hope that one day I will have the occasion to taste the fruits which are hailed as a delicious and with multiple health qualities. But I am realistic that I won’t harvest them from my seeds grown plants!

Rubus chamaemorus is a species with circumboreal distribution* and it cannot be grown in warm and /or humid climates; plus, it is dioecious and one would need male and female plants to produce fruits.
Even in the wild, in some years the fruit yield is very low. The primary means of reproduction is by vegetative rhizomes, and they can form large clonal colonies; this is also not favorable for fruits set.

The majority of fruits are still harvested in the wild in Nordic regions, where it grows abundantly; for many reasons the situation will probably remain the same in the near future.

There are plenty of reads on the internet for those interested in this species; just avoid the websites where they say you can grow it easily ;) Or who are trying to sell you 5 seeds ;)

Unfortunately, the hype that most times accompanies fruits/seeds/plants which are considered ‘wondrous’, leads to unrealistic expectations from the ‘consumers’, and dishonest marketing from those offering the seeds/fruits/plants or derived products.

That being said, those willing to spend 4 CAD to play with the seeds are welcome to give them a try.
If someone is interested in more than 2-3 pck. of seeds, please get in touch by using the Contact form.
Those hoping to taste cloudberry fruits, I suggest a visit to a Nordic country, or even somewhere to Northern Canada (I don’t know precise locations though).

*“Ecology and habitat. Substrates: wet meadows, around the margins of ponds, marshes, along streams, slopes, ridges, dry meadows; imperfectly drained moist areas, dry, moderately well-drained areas; moss; with high organic content, peat; acidic. Rubus chamaemorus grows in moist, peaty and turfy soils, including sphagnum bogs and hummocks with pH 2.5–4.5, muskegs, mossy tundra and black spruce bogs. The species occupies a broad spectrum of sites from dry to wet, but is most common on wetter sites, particularly raised bogs, and freshwater marshes. Good growth has been observed with the pH as high as 6.1. Rubus chamaemorus sometimes occurs in periodically dry lichen carpets on acid rocks. The species is considered to be a pioneer that rapidly colonises bare soil.”
From Flora of Canadian Arctic Archipelago: https://nature.ca/aaflora/data/www/roruch.htm