Shield leaf raspberry, also known as large leaf raspberry, is a traditional Chinese medicine. It is an upright or climbing shrub. The fruit of shield leaf raspberry is edible and medicinal, used to treat soreness in the waist and legs. The root bark can be used to produce gum. Shield leaf raspberry is commonly used for dispersing wind and relieving pain. It is mainly used in clinical practice for joint pain, soreness in the waist and spine, and pain in the hands and feet, with certain effectiveness.
[Origin of Shield Leaf Raspberry]
Shield leaf raspberry is the fruit of the plant in the Rosaceae family called Rubus. The Rubus genus has more than 700 species, with 194 species found in China.
Shield leaf raspberry is mainly produced in Hefeng, Lichuan, Enshi, and Jianshi. It grows on slopes, foot of the mountains, valleys, forest edges, or damp areas at an altitude of 300-1500m. It is distributed in Sichuan, Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Japan. The fruit is edible and can be used to make wine, while the root bark can be used to produce gum.
Shield leaf raspberry blooms from April to May, and the fruit ripens from the end of June to early July. It mainly reproduces through vegetative propagation. When introduced to low-altitude areas below 50m, the nutritional growth of shield leaf raspberry is good, but the yield significantly decreases, and its ecological adaptability is weak. When introduced to areas above 800m, shield leaf raspberry has good nutritional growth, higher fruit setting rate than wild plants, and an earlier phenological period.
[Cultivation Methods of Shield Leaf Raspberry]
1. Loosening the soil and weeding
In the spring, loosen the soil between the rows and weed within the rows. In the summer, perform soil preparation according to the degree of soil compaction and weed growth. Generally, perform soil loosening twice to three times between the rows before harvesting. After fruit harvesting, perform soil loosening once and inter-row cultivation twice because the soil between the rows becomes compacted and weeds grow vigorously during the berry harvesting process.
2. Pruning
In early summer, remove weak and damaged suckers and remove excessive branches to prevent overcrowding. Also, remove two-year-old branches that have already produced fruit immediately after harvesting. At the same time, remove any excess, broken, and diseased one-year-old branches.
3. Supporting and tying
Supporting and tying are important aspects of shield leaf raspberry field management. Supporting and tying means using a support system to keep the stems of shield leaf raspberry upright, avoiding excessive bending after fruiting. Effective supporting and tying can improve fruit quality and yield.
[Benefits of Shield Leaf Raspberry]
It is used to treat pain in the limbs and joints, as well as soreness in the waist and spine. It has the effects of strengthening the waist and kidneys, and dispersing wind and relieving pain.
Dosage: Internally, decoct 60-90g of shield leaf raspberry.
"National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicines": "Used to treat soreness in the waist and legs: decoct 60-90g of shield leaf raspberry fruit, and drink with yellow wine and brown sugar before meals in the morning and evening."
