North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@bellsouth.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [SANET-MG] Wineberries: A Natural Crop with Promise
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:05:54 -0500
From: Nature's Pace Sanctuary herm.naturespace@EARTHLINK.NET
Reply-To: CEO@Back40Group.com
Organization: Back 40 Group, Incorporated
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

I don't know why Rubus phoenicolasius, the Wineberry, should be so
uncommon. It is no more difficult to grow than a raspberry, to which it
is closely related. What is more, it has something to offer at most
seasons of the year. Native to Korea and China as well as Japan, this
vigorous deciduous shrub grows to 2.5m or 3m tall. These berries offer
market farmers or direct marketers ease of propagation, a unique and
tasty product that will sell for a great price. Unfortunately, 2 states
have classified it as an invasive but the plant is easily controlled
when properly cultivated. We have been growing wineberries in 2 states
for over 10 years and have had no problems at all.

The species is a perennial plant which bears biennial stems ("canes")
from the perennial root system. In its first year, a new stem 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. In its second year, the stem does not grow taller, but
produces several side shoots, which bear smaller leaves always with
three leaflets; the leaves are white underneath.

Link to fully illustrated article:
http://back40forums.com/index.php?topic=1766.msg2745#msg2745
"Wineberries A Plant with Commercial Promise"

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, 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 fine, red thorns, which appear
much like red hair.

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. The Wineberry has
orange-red bristles thick as down on its arching stems and protective
calyces. These stems show up well in winter, especially when sunlight
strikes them. Just like the raspberry it is biennial; that is, the canes
grow one year and fruit the next. The emerald-green leaves are up to
18cm long with white felted undersides, and are composed of three,
coarsely toothed, rounded, ovate or heart-shaped leaflets.

In early summer the small, star-like, whitish-pink, self-fertile flowers
emerge shyly, encased in a calyx - bristly armour made up of five long,
triangular bracts. Small, glistening, conical, orange-red fruit follow
in early August. These remain almost surrounded by the calyx until they
are ripe. This keeps the berries safe from the birds until they are
ready to pick.

You can eat them straight off the canes or cook them in the same way as
raspberries. As Coral Guppy of Kore Wild Fruits Nursery puts it: "The
Japanese wineberry nicely bridges the gap between summer and autumn
raspberries."

Every year I can hardly wait to pop my first wineberry of the season
into my mouth. Heavens! How can such a small, tiny ruby-red berry
taste so yummy?! This is a berry bush that has excellent potential as a
family favorite or as a good seller at farm stands or farmer's markets.
It also can be easily propagated by the farmer or gardener so once you
have some growing plants you won't need to buy more: you can produce as
many as you want. This is a good thing since there are only 2
nurseries in America that offer the plants for sale.

Fortunately, the Resilience Research Farm is licensed as a Missouri
grower and plants are available from Back40Books.com. The plants are
available in two sizes and are dug and shipped as orders arrive so you
are insured of fresh, viable stock. The plants are shipped in a
soil-less mix in plastic bags. They are NOT dormant bare root plants,
they are shipped Priority Mail fully leafed out. Nursery stock can not
be shipped to Massachusetts or Connecticut.

The plants are available in two sizes (all plants will bear the year
following planting):

For More Information click here:
http://www.back40books.com/item.asp?b=1&n=NPSWBS

All plants are shipped with planting, maintenance, and propagation
instructions included or e-mailed.

/**/*Growing tips*
Plant the Japanese wineberry in adequately drained but fertile soil,
preferably in a sheltered place. You will get the best fruit against a
sunny wall. Water well in summer. You can tie the canes along wires,
cutting out those that have fruited and tying in the replacements.
Because the stems are vigorous you can pinch them back in spring to
encourage branching. In theory, wineberries should be prone to pests and
diseases that assail raspberries, but in practice they are rarely
troubled. Birds and insects find it difficult to get at the fruits
through the calyces.

*Propagation*
To increase your stock, bury the cane tips in the soil in late summer.
(Japanese wineberry roots so effectively that you must take care to
prevent the arching stems of shrubs grown in the open from touching the
ground.) Or, you can take hardwood cuttings in late autumn.

Feel free to mail the writer if more information is required, however
there is a nice selection of photos included in the link above.
Herman Beck
Director
Resilience Research Farm (a.k.a. The Farm at Nature's Pace Sanctuary)
Herm.NaturesPace@earthlink.net <mailto:Herm.NaturesPace@earthlink.net
http://www.back40books.com/item.asp?b=1&n=NPSWBS
www.Back40Forums.com <http://www.Back40Forums.com