Rubus microphyllus — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It is rather sour but quite edible.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

DEADLY

Red Baneberry

Actaea rubra

SAFE

Hsuan Kou Tzu

Rubus microphyllus

Red Baneberry: Short herbaceous plant (no thorns), berries on thick red stems, each berry has a single seed, compound sharply-toothed leaves.

Hsuan Kou Tzu: Thorny woody canes (brambles), aggregate berry made of many drupelets, berries pull easily from receptacle.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant.

Asia, China, Japan, Korea,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A deciduous shrub hardy to UK zone 9, flowering from May to June. Hermaphrodite flowers are pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with a preference for well-drained conditions in mildly acidic, neutral, or mildly alkaline soils. Suitable for semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.

How to Grow

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. This species is not very hardy in Britain. It only tolerates light frosts but it should be possible to grow it outdoors in the mildest areas of the country. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation: Seed requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed needs one month of stratification at around 3°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Prick out seedlings once large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame, then plant out into permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood can be taken in July or August in a frame. Tip layer in July and plant out in autumn. Divide in early spring or just before leaf-fall in autumn.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

A purple to dull blue dye can be obtained from the fruit.

Wikipedia

A deciduous shrub hardy to UK zone 9, flowering from May to June. Hermaphrodite flowers are pollinated by insects. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with a preference for well-drained conditions in mildly acidic, neutral, or mildly alkaline soils. Suitable for semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.

Notes

There are about 250 Rubus species.

Names & Synonyms

Rubus incisus Thunb.

References (3)

Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 577 (Also as Rubus incisus)
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Suppl. pl. 263. 1782 ("1781")