Our Wineberry: (rubus phoenicolasius)

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Years ago my father grew a Japanese Wineberry in our garden. It always puzzled people as to what it was but I got quite used to it and, every year, would pick and eat the lovely little orangey-red fruit it produced.

Five years ago when my husband was buying asparagus from an honesty-box, roadside stall , I noticed a familiar leafy stem in a small pot. Sure enough it was a Japanese Wineberry and actually there were two of them priced, 40p.

The plant this year has produced masses of berries. If the birds steal some, it’s not noticeable, there are so many.

Googling for information on this plant tells me that the plant is on a “bad list” as it is invasive. I don’t recall that happening at my family home but I can see that it needs cutting back to keep it in check.

Ours grows in an odd situation, facing East and shaded but the plant is thriving.

If you like raspberries, you will like the fruit. They are so clean as insects seem to avoid the slightly sticky surface. Excellent for jam-making and for freezing.

• 23 Aug, 2015
• 7 likes

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