Rubus cockburnianus 'Wyego' GOLDEN VALE

The Goldenvale 'Wyego' bush is a vigorous shrub with arching and thorny branches, decorative all year round, even when leafless. This variety stands out for its bright foliage, golden yellow, and silver-white stems that catch our attention in winter. Hardy and undemanding, it enjoys sun or partial shade and soils that do not retain too much water. Its deep pink flowers in late spring give way to edible but tasteless black fruits in summer.

From the Rosaceae family, brambles (genus Rubus) offer a great diversity with over 250 species. When discussing brambles, we often think of the ones we uproot because they become invasive. But brambles never cease to surprise us. Some charm us with their delicious fruits, others with the beauty of their foliage, and still others with their decorative bark, like the Rubus cockburnianus from China.

The Rubus cockburnianus GOLDENVALE 'Wyego' forms a spreading bush that can reach 1.5 to 2 metres (5 to 7 feet) in height. Some shoots can even exceed 3 metres (10 feet) in length. Its arching and thorny stems are covered in winter with a white bloom, making it very decorative. Its deciduous leaves (falling in winter) resemble those of a fern: they are pinnate, compound with toothed leaflets, 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8in) long. It is their golden yellow colour that catches all our attention. The colouration can vary depending on the exposure. The leaves can be golden yellow, lemon yellow, or even lemon green. They are usually lighter when the plant is in shade. Small cup-shaped flowers typical of the Rosaceae family appear in May-June, with five petals, about 1 cm (0in) in diameter and deep purple-pink. They are clustered at the ends of branches. They are followed by round fruits, black when ripe, 1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) in diameter, edible but tasteless.

Colourful and graphic, the ornamental bramble with golden foliage will find its place in a countryside hedge, planted individually to brighten up a shady garden corner or in groups for an exciting mass effect. Combine it with red-stem dogwoods or yellow-stem dogwoods to create a colourful mass in the heart of winter.

The GOLDENVALE Rubus is a hardy plant (-20 °C (- 4°F) or more) that is easy to grow, enjoys sun or partial shade, and has soils that do not retain too much water. Once well established, it tolerates drought quite well. It tends to sucker, so don't hesitate to contain it.