Rubus hirsutus
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Rubus genus in the family Rosaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit - raw or cooked and used in pies, preserves etc[2][6][7][8]. The fruit varies in size from 1 - 2cm in diameter[11].
- Plant part
- Fruit
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The juice of the bruised leaves is used in the treatment of ophthalmia[10]. The fruit is used to promote fertility, strengthen virility etc[10].
- Product or use
- Miscellany
- Product or use
- Ophthalmic
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[5].
- Product or use
- Dye
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
- Habitat
- Thickets and waste ground in lowland and low mountains of C. and S. Japan[12]. Slopes, roadsides, waste places, thickets and forested slopes at elevations of 900 - 3200 metres[11].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and is best sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[9]. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[9].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[1][3][9]. There is a potential confusion over the name of this species. There is a R. hirsutus with a different author (Wirte.) listed in [4] as growing in woods in Britain. Clearly, one of these two species is wrongly named. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[9].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Watson. W. C. R. Handbook of the Rubi of Great Britain and Ireland.
Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00