Seed Keepers

[Chris Garriss <cgarriss@garriss.net>]

I don't know why I'd forgotten these - where I grew up in Maryland these grew "wild".  Escapees from some cultivated area.  Every year,  as children,  we would continually check waiting impatiently for them to ripen - and hoping to beat the wildlife to them.

A very pretty, great flavored berry.   I can certainly agree that introduced they would become very popular with the public.  They were very easy transplants, in the 1970's I transplanted some from Maryland to central NC.  Unfortunately when I moved I had to leave them - in the intervening time they have either died out or been removed.

Something I would definitely want to add to my mix of fruits and berries.

On Apr 20, 2011 3:45 PM, "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> -------- 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
> http://www.back40books.com/item.asp?b=1&n=NPSWBS
>
> www.Back40Forums.com
>
>
>
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