Salmonberry

Rubus spectabilis

Illustration: Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) pink flowers and fruit

Identification: Thicket-forming shrub; trifoliate leaves; large showy PINK-purple flowers in early spring; raspberry-like fruit ripening yellow to red-orange.

Dangerous look-alikes: Thimbleberry and other Rubus — all edible; no dangerous confusion.

Edible parts: Ripe berries; young spring sprouts (peeled).

Season and habitat: Spring (sprouts/flowers), early summer (berries). Moist woods, stream banks.

Preparation: Berries eaten fresh (mild, less sweet than raspberries); young sprouts peeled and eaten like asparagus. The first berry of the coastal spring.