medicinal herbs
Japanese Raspberry
Rubus parvifolius
Herb: Japanese Raspberry
Latin name: Rubus parvifolius
Synonyms: Rubus triphyllus
Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Medicinal use of Japanese Raspberry:
The leaves and the root are astringent. A decoction of the leaves or the root is used in the treatment of skin diseases and as a stimulant to blood circulation.Description of the plant:
Plant:
DeciduousShrub
Height:
100 cm(3 1/4 foot)
Flowering:
May toJune
Habitat of the herb:
Roadsides and waste ground in lowlands and low mountains in Japan. Mainly found in wet sclerophyll forests in eastern Australia.Edible parts of Japanese Raspberry:
Fruit - raw or cooked and used in pies, preserves etc. Juicy. A good flavour. The fruit is small, though the individual druplets are quite large. The young plant is used as a substitute for tea.Other uses of the herb:
A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit. The stems and roots are a source of tannin.Propagation of Japanese Raspberry:
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. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn.Cultivation of the herb:
Roadsides and waste ground in lowlands and low mountains in Japan. Mainly found in wet sclerophyll forests in eastern Australia.Known hazards of Rubus parvifolius:
None knownPlant information taken from the Plants For A Future.