Japanese wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
Japanese wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
One of our favourites, the Japanese wineberry is a large, distinguished looking bramble.
Japanese wineberries
have bushy red stems that can arch as much as 2 m before rooting where they land, but if you support it like you would a blackberry all will be well, indeed it is very ornamental all year round.
Pinkish white flowers are born in clusters in the summer and the juicy red fruits are ready from August onwards. They are enclosed for most of that time in a calyx covering which protects them from birds and grubs, opening finally just before they are ripe.
You will be lucky to get enough back to the kitchen to do anything with, as they are too delicious straight from the bush.