Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius). Although a native of China and
Japan, the wineberry grows wild here, an escape from old gardens in the
eastern United States. The fruit isn’t as sweet as other raspberries and
is more seedy. On the plus side, it is juicier and has the advantage of
ripening all at once—shortly after the calyx lobes covering the berries
open to expose them. Unlike the other raspberries, wineberries are sticky
to the touch, but their hairy canes are a reddish-brown color, making them
a nice ornamental. They are trained and cared for like raspberries and
suffer less trouble from insects and diseases because of their calyx
coverings. Wineberries make delicious jams and jellies, and children like
to eat them out of hand. Don’t let them go, however, or they’ll form
impenetrable thickets.
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