Practical
Plants

Rubus rosaefolius

Mauritius Raspberry

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rubus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
1 m
Spread
2.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked and used in pies, preserves etc[7]. A type of raspberry[9], but without any pleasant flavour[3]. Insipid[1][8]. It is usually cooked[6], making good tarts and jams[8]. The red fruit is up to 15mm in diameter[12]. Leaves[7]. No further details are given.

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves

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.

The leaves and the roots are anodyne, astringent and depurative[8][11]. A decoction of the leafy stems is used in the treatment of fevers[11].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Febrifuge

Material uses

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[5].

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas to the East Indies and Australia.
Habitat
Hillsides in gullies, rock seams and bases of walls in China[4]. Damp eucalyptus forest, rainforest edges, paddocks and roadsides in Australia[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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[10]. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[10].

Cultivation

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade[1][2][10]. Not very hardy outdoors in Britain, it usually requires greenhouse protection[10] though it has been seen outdoors at Kew growing at the base of a west-facing wall[K] and might succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country. This species is a raspberry with biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die[10]. The fruit is sold in local markets in the Himalayas[3]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  3. Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩

  5. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  7. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  8. Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-207-14383-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  12. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

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