Herb latin name: Rubus ichangensis


Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)



Medicinal use of Rubus ichangensis:

The root is ised in medicine. We have no further information, but the root is a good source of tannins and so is likely to be used as an astringent.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
30 cm
(11 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
July

Habitat of the herb:

Thickets and ravines to 1800 metres. Slopes, fallow fields, dense forests in valleys and thickets at elevations of 800 - 2500 metres.

Edible parts of Rubus ichangensis:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Small, red, sweet and well flavoured. The red fruit is 6 - 8mm in diameter.

Other uses of the herb:

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit. Tannin is extracted from the roots and stems.

Propagation of Rubus ichangensis:

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:

Thickets and ravines to 1800 metres. Slopes, fallow fields, dense forests in valleys and thickets at elevations of 800 - 2500 metres.

Known hazards of Rubus ichangensis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.