Japanese Wineberry, Wine raspberry
Rubus phoenicolasius
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
Rubus phoenicolasius is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 3
Where it is found
Waste places and clearings in lowland and mountains all over Japan. Roadsides and montane valleys at low to medium elevations in China.
E. Asia - N. China, Japan, Korea. Occasionally naturalized in Britain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, North America, Tasmania, USA,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 5
Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and juicy, A raspberry-type fruit, it is smaller than a raspberry, contains rather a lot of seeds and is not quite such a flavourful fruit, but it makes very nice eating all the same. After flowering, the fruit is enclosed in its calyx until just before it is ripe, this prevents maggots etc getting into the fruit. The fruit is about 20mm in diameter.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 1
A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade, preferring light shade. Plants are not too happy when grown in windy situations. Hardy to about -18°c. Some damage may be caused at this temperature but plants usually recover well. A very ornamental plant, its red stems adding colour to the winter garden, it is sometimes cultivated for its edible fruit. There is at least one named variety, 'Bella di Tokyo' has small tasty red fruits. This species is a raspberry with biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is branching: a heart root, dividing from the crown into several primary roots going down and out. The root pattern is suckering with new plants from underground runners away from the plant .
Propagating it: Seed - requires stratification, is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed as early as possible in the year in a cold frame and stratify for a month at 3°c if sowing later than February. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Duo xian xuan gou zi, Strawberry-raspberry,