Japanese Wineberry

Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius), a relative of raspberries and blackberries, is a vigorous, hardy shrub originally from East Asia.

It grows as arching canes covered in red hairs that catch the light and glow.

In summer, it produces clusters of small, star-shaped white to pink flowers, followed by jewel-like berries enclosed in sticky, red calyces that open as the fruit ripens.

The berries are translucent, ruby-red, and have a bright, tangy-sweet flavour—somewhere between a raspberry and a redcurrant.

Wineberry thrives in a range of soils, tolerates partial shade, and fruits reliably in the Scottish climate if given shelter from the harshest winds.

A good and unusual addition to forest gardens and edible hedgerows.