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Arctostaphylos alpina - (L.)Spreng.

Alpine Bearberry

Author	(L.)Spreng.	Botanical references	11, 17, 200
Family	Ericaceae	Genus	Arctostaphylos
Synonyms	Arbutus alpina - L. Arctous alpina - (L.)Niedenzu.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	N. Europe, including Britain, N. Asia to Japan, west to Greenland and northern N. America..
Habitat	Mountain moors[17] and stony places on calcareous Alps up to 2500 metres.
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Shrub growing to 0.05m by 0.12m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 62, 105]. Very juicy but slightly bitter[101]. Another report says that they are juicy but insipid[257]. The flavour is much improved by cooking[257]. Not as nice as many other wild fruits, but nor are they unpleasant[2]. The fruit is about 6 - 9mm in diameter[200, 266], it is not usually produced very freely[257].

Medicinal Uses

Antirheumatic; Blood purifier; Narcotic.

An infusion of the pounded plant has been used as an external wash in the treatment of rheumatism and general illnesses[257]. A decoction of the bark is used in the treatment of internal blood diseases[257]. The leaves are narcotic and have been smoked to cause intoxication[257].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a deep moist well-drained light or medium lime-free loam in sun or semi-shade[182, 200]. Prefers a cool damp position[11]. Plants resent root disturbance and should be placed in their final positions as soon as possible[134]. Grows well in a rock garden[11]. This plant is placed in a separate genus, as Arctuous alpinus, by some botanists due to its deciduous habit[11, 200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a shady position in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[78]. Pre-soak dried seed and sow as early in the year as possible[134]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 months at 15°c[134]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of side shoots, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August to December in a frame. Takes one year[78]. Division in early spring. Take care because the plant resents root disturbance[200]. Pot the divisions up and keep them in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are growing away actively. Layering in spring[200].

Links

References

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[101] Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978
A very readable guide to some wild foods of Canada.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

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