Organic Wiping
Of all days to forget the toilet paper! The workman scrambles about the forest floor with pants at his ankles, searching frantically for that plant whose name he can never remember… the one with the big fuzzy leaves.
Thimbleberry, one of Oregon’s native raspberry species, has several practical uses. Although primarily known for the fuzzy little red raspberries they produce, the leaves make an excellent makeshift toilet wipe. Growing as tall canes with large maple-like leaves, this raspberry species lacks thorns, instead sporting fuzz all over the plant where thorns would normally be. The canes, leaves and even the fruit possess a soft, inoffensive layer of hair which helps prevent skin irritation. In addition, the thimbleberry produces clusters of small white flowers in the spring, making it a nice plant for the common garden.
A very uncomplicated process, even the novice gardener can establish a thimbleberry stand. Attain three or four rhizomes (the big root mass common in all raspberry and blackberry species) from an existing stand and immediately plant them where you want the new stand to grow. Depending on when planting takes place, they may immediately begin sending out shoots or they may remain dormant through the winter.
