Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) is a plant species native to northeast Asia. Wineberry has been naturalized in both Europe and North America as an ornamental plant. This plant is edible, and its berries are sometimes mistaken for raspberries or blackberries.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Rubus phoenicolasius (Japanese wineberry, wine raspberry, wineberry or dewberry) is an Asian species of raspberry (Rubus subgenus Idaeobatus) in the rose family, native to China, Japan, and Korea.
The species was introduced to Europe and North America as an ornamental plant and for its potential in breeding hybrid raspberries. It has subsequently escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in parts of Europe and North America.
The species is a perennial plant which bears biennial stems (“canes”) from the perennial root system. In its first year, a new stem (“primocane”) grows vigorously to its full height of 1–3 m, unbranched, and bearing large pinnate leaves with three or five leaflets; normally it does not produce any flowers the first year. In its second year, the stem (“floricane”) does not grow taller, but produces several side shoots, which bear smaller leaves always with three leaflets; the leaves are white underneath.
The flowers are produced in late spring on short, very bristly racemes on the tips of these side shoots, each flower 6–10 mm diameter with five purplish red to pink petals and a bristly calyx. The fruit is orange or red, about 1 cm diameter, edible, produced in summer or early autumn; in botanical terminology and like all members of Rubus, it is not a berry at all but an aggregate fruit of numerous drupelets around a central core. Ripening occurs from early summer. The canes have red glandular hairs. These red hairs give the species its scientific name, from the Latin phoenicus, meaning red.
In addition to seed propagation, new plants are formed from the tips of existing canes touching the ground. They enjoy moist soil and grow near and within wooded areas.
As a fruit develops, it is surrounded by a protective calyx covered in hairs that exude tiny drops of sticky fluid. While the structure resembles those of carnivorous plants, the wineberry plant does not get nutrients from insects caught in the sap: the sticky mucilage contains no digestive enzymes, surrounding tissues cannot absorb nutrients, and there are no protein-storage tissues. Also, unlike carnivorous plants, wineberry grows in nutrient-rich soil, so it need not resort to insect proteins as a source of nitrogen.
The plant’s leaves and stems/branches are covered in spines. The leaves appear in sets of three, where the two side leaves are small, and the center leaf is large. The leaves are green on top, and white on the bottom because of a dense layer of woolly hairs.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Although you can find some Rubus species under the forest canopy, wineberry loves sunlight. Full sun or partial shade (6-8 hours of sunshine) will be the best for it to thrive. Avoid too crowded bush to allow ample sunlight and air movement, which will prevent your plant from diseases.
Temperature
As a large genus, Rubus has a wide distribution range which means you are always likely to find a proper species or cultivar that grows well in your garden. Generally, Rubus species flourish in temperate zones, and are adaptable to slightly harsh conditions. Select cultivars that may thrive in your garden, thus the preferable climate will encourage them to bear more edible fruits. Wineberry prefers moist to slightly dry conditions, so it is important to avoid waterlogging.
Watering
Your wineberry needs little care once established, so making sure it receives about 2.5 cm water per week is the only advice on watering. If your plant is grown in containers, you can water more according to the soil condition. Water deeply when the topsoil is dry and slightly whitish. Never forget to keep the soil well-drained.
Soil
Wineberry is not picky about soil, as long as the soil is slightly acidic and well-drained. The ideal soil pH range for it is 5.5–7 while a few species and cultivars of Rubus may tolerate slightly alkaline soil as well. Rich loamy soil mixing with some sandy soil can be a good option. Always remember to avoid the heavy clay soil because it can become soggy easily. Hilled soils that promote drainage can also be taken into consideration, instead of wet, flat fields.
Fertilizing
At the pre-planting stage, you can prepare the soil by fertilizing with a balanced fertilizer (N-P-K: 10-10-10). After planting your wineberry, the best care you can give to it is to spread a mulch at the base of the row each year, which works similarly with slow-release fertilizer. You can do this every early spring or late fall. During growing season and fruiting season, you can also apply some balanced fertilizers for fruiting plants once every two to three months. Fertilizing your pot plants is more or less the same as with your garden ones.
Planting Instructions
Generally, wineberry is planted with saplings that are easily purchased from nursery or gardening stores. Avoid wineberry collected in the forest as diseases are a big problem for wild Rubus.
plant your wineberry in winter or early spring in your garden. Wineberry grows wild where there is much sunlight from above and a wealth of leaf litter, otherwise known as mulch or organic matter in the soil below. Because of this, your planting site is recommended to have ample sunlight and you should have organic matter such as grass clippings readily available. Keep your plants far away from any wild brambles to keep them healthy. Also, plant your wineberry in separate rows. The optimum spacing can be achieved by creating rows about 3 m apart with plants 60 cm apart within each row. Set a trellis on each side and tie the canes onto the trellis line or wire.
Wineberry will spread both rapidly and at long distances. If you do not want it everywhere in your garden, regularly prune it or grow it in containers. You are recommended to find a prickle-free and small variety to plant in pot, which may be handy for you. Use a shallow but large container for it because its roots spread shallowly outward. Potting soil and sunny place are standards for wineberry.
Pruning
Pruning is important for wineberry growers. Prune all canes that bore fruit this year down to the bottom right after harvest. All first-year canes should be cut about half to stimulate lateral growth from the side every late winter or early spring. Remove all suckers and trim overcrowded canes. Wineberry grown in patches must be pruned to ensure that individual canes are not touching to avoid disease infections. Be sure to remove any thinned or pruned canes from the field because old canes left on the ground can harbor disease.
Propagation
Both roots and stem cuttings can be planted to propagate new individual plants. Because of this, make sure to purchase plants from a reputable nursery, otherwise diseases are spread everywhere with your new individuals. You can do root cutting in late winter to ensure the threat of hard frosts is gone, or stem cutting in early summer. The operations are the same. Cut a 10 cm long root or stem and plant it into the moist, clean soil. Keep the soil moist and it will take 2-4 weeks to root.
If you try to grow wineberry from seeds, remember that you must recreate a harsh environment such as exists in the birds’ crop (digestive tract) where sand, pebbles, and seeds churn. Therefore, you must scrap the seed with a file or sandpaper to open up the tough seed coat and allow it to sprout. Sow in early fall in the ground and some may need cold treatment at 3 ℃ for a month before sowing at the beginning of the following year. There is no specific care required after sowing and you can transplant larger seedlings where they can grow better.
III. Uses and Benefits
Wineberries grow in the wild in many parts of the United States, primarily the Appalachian Mountains. They are common along the edges of fields and roadsides, and still are used as breeding stock for raspberry cultivars. They are edible, with no poisonous look-alikes in North America. Other plants that may be mistaken as wineberries include red raspberry, salmonberry, black raspberry, and blackberry, all of which are edible. Sweet and tart with a raspberry-like flavor, wineberries are used similarly to raspberries to make pastries, such as pie or other sweet treats.
IV. Harvesting and Storage
Taste the fruit and it will tell you when it is time to harvest. Ripe fruits will be sweet and juicy. If they are still sour or tart, let them ripen a bit longer. Usually you can start harvesting from mid-summer till mid-fall, according to varieties. You should harvest the fruits when all dews or raindrops are dry to prevent molds. They have a short shelf life, so refrigerate them after harvest without washing. As for some sour species, process them into delicious jams or jellies.
