# Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)

**Swedish: Hjortron | English: Cloudberry | Family: Rosaceae**

The cloudberry (*Rubus chamaemorus*), affectionately known as **Hjortron** in Sweden, is considered the undisputed queen of Nordic berries. It thrives on moist peat bogs and in sparse subarctic swamp forests in the Västerbotten region.

The plant is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Unripe berries are red and hard, while the fully ripe fruits have a characteristic amber-yellow to orange color and a wonderfully creamy-sour aroma.

## FAQs

- **When is the best time to harvest cloudberries in Lapland?**: The harvest time is usually between the end of July and mid-August. The berries are ripe when they can be easily separated from the cup and have a golden yellow, soft texture.
- **Can you pick cloudberries freely in Sweden?**: Yes! Under the Swedish *Allemansrätten* (everyman's right), everyone is allowed to pick freely growing berries for their own use. However, be careful to protect the sensitive moorland.
- **Why is the cloudberry 'Gold des Nordens' genannt?**: The name comes from their bright golden color, their exceptionally high vitamin C content and their high market value.
- **What does cloudberry taste like?**: The taste is unique: slightly sour, slightly bitter and sweet with a subtle hint of forest and honey.
- **How is Hjortron traditionally processed in Swedish cuisine?**: Classically, warm cloudberry jam (*varm hjortronsylt*) is served with vanilla ice cream or the famous regional cheese *Västerbottensost*.
- **How does the plant differ from other berry bushes?**: Cloudberries are herbaceous, low-growing plants (10–25 cm), bear only a single flower and fruit per stem, and have lobed, wrinkled leaves.


## Weitere Informationen

- Botanical illustration: Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), in Swedish'Hjortron'.
- Rose family (Rosaceae)
- Nature, Taiga & Waters of Västerbotten
- Native to Northern Sweden
- The cloudberry is the liquid gold of northern Sweden. Their amber-colored fruits grow on barren raised moors and are extremely rich in vitamins.
- End of July – mid-August