Cloudberry

What does Cloudberry look like?

Cloudberry is a small, herbaceous perennial that grows 10–25 cm tall. It has unbranched stems with one to three leaves, each leaf divided into five to seven lobes. The plant produces white flowers, sometimes tinged with red, which develop into soft, juicy fruits made up of several small drupelets. The berries start pale red and ripen to a golden amber color in early autumn. Cloudberry patches often form dense mats in bogs and wet meadows.

Where does Cloudberry come from?

Cloudberry grows wild across the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America, from the Arctic tundra to alpine and boreal forests. Its seeds are spread by birds and mammals that eat the fruit, and it also expands locally through long underground rhizomes. The plant is not cultivated on a commercial scale but is widely gathered in the wild, especially in Nordic countries and the Arctic. Its name in English comes from old dialects, and it is featured in place names and local traditions.

When and how Cloudberry blooms

Cloudberry blooms in early summer, with fruit ripening by late summer or early autumn. The plant thrives in acidic, wet soils of bogs, marshes, and tundra, often at high elevations. It is dioecious, so both male and female plants are needed for fruiting. The plant spreads by seed and by rhizome cuttings, which can be taken in spring or late summer to clone the parent plant. It is not grown commercially but is picked wild.

How Cloudberry is used

Cloudberries are eaten fresh or made into jams, juices, desserts, and liqueurs. In Finland, they are served with local cheese, cream, and sugar; in Sweden and Norway, they are used in desserts and as toppings for pancakes and ice cream. In Canada and Alaska, cloudberries are made into pies, jams, and traditional dishes by Indigenous peoples. The berries are valued for their vitamin C and are sometimes preserved in their own juice.

Kinds of Cloudberry

Cloudberry is a single species, but its fruit and polyphenol content can vary by region and genotype. Local names and culinary uses differ across countries, with special recipes and traditions in the Nordic countries, Russia, and Indigenous Arctic communities. In Norway, harvesting laws and customs reflect its cultural value.

What Cloudberry means

Cloudberry is a symbol of the north and appears on the Finnish 2 euro coin. It is celebrated in festivals in Newfoundland and Labrador, and its name is found in place names in Scotland and Sweden. The berry is sometimes called 'Norrland's gold' in Sweden, reflecting its prized status. It is not endangered and is listed as 'least concern' for conservation.

Questions people ask about Cloudberry

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesIUCN Red List, Article
• Rubus chamaemorusUS Department of Agriculture, Article
• Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
• Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
• Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database

• Rubus chamaemorus on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data