The fruit of Rubus ellipticus can be consumed as food or used as medicine. When used medicinally, it has the effects of strengthening the waist and kidneys, dispelling wind, and alleviating pain. It is commonly used to treat symptoms such as joint pain in the limbs and lower back pain. Rubus ellipticus is usually harvested in the summer and autumn when the fruits are ripe. They can be dried directly for medicinal use or briefly boiled in water before drying. As a traditional Chinese medicine, the cultivation and breeding of Rubus ellipticus are essential. Now let's take a look at the introduction, cultivation research, and breeding characteristics of Rubus ellipticus.
1. Nutrient propagation and growth
Rubus ellipticus mainly reproduces through vegetative propagation, including root sucker seedlings and basal seedlings. Seedlings derived from seeds are rarely seen. Basal seedlings originate from the buried part of the second-year neck base. They start to sprout at the end of April and have a vigorous growth period in mid-May. One plant can produce up to 3 basal seedlings, with a stem diameter of 0.9-1.6cm. Rubus ellipticus has a well-developed rhizome and strong ability to form sucker seedlings, with a stem diameter of 1.0-2.0cm.
The second-year branches wither rapidly after the fruits mature at the end of June to early July, while the new seedlings grow rapidly. By the end of August, the new seedlings stop growing, reaching a height of 1.2-2.5m and producing 2-4 lateral branches that are 0.4-0.8m long and have 3-7 nodes at a distance of 30-50cm from the ground.
2. Flower bud differentiation
In late August to early September, the branch buds of the current year are in an undifferentiated state. Main buds and auxiliary buds appear in early October. In late October, the main buds start to differentiate into flower buds, and the primordia of various parts of the flower appear. By mid-November, the differentiation of all parts of the flower is complete, with a length of 1.4-2.3cm and a diameter of 0.5-0.9cm at the thickest part. The plant then enters the leaf-falling period, and the buds enter dormancy for the winter.
3. Flowering process
After winter, the main buds begin to sprout in early April of the following year, growing into flower branches. The flower branches are 5-15cm long with 2-4 nodes, and leaves grow at the base of the nodes. One flower blooms at the top. The flowering period is from April 16th to May 10th. The top of each flower branch blooms first, followed by the lower parts. The flower buds are disc-shaped, with green sepals enveloping the flower buds. During flowering, the sepals first protrude outward and then spread flat, while the white petals protrude outward and open radially, revealing the stamens. The pollen of the outer stamens is released first. At this time, the inner stamens wrap around the pistil. The flower corolla falls off, and the stamen anthers initially turn from green to pale yellow. After the pollen is released, it turns brown. The individual flower lasts for 3-4 days and has a strong fragrance. Pollinating insects, mainly bees, are the main carriers.
4. Reproductive characteristics of Rubus ellipticus
Rubus ellipticus mainly reproduces asexually under natural conditions, including basal seedlings and sucker seedlings, especially the strong ability to form sucker seedlings. Similar to other cultivated species of Rubus, it has both main buds and auxiliary buds, with the main buds being mixed buds. The primordia of various parts of the flower form in November. It blooms from April to May of the following year. Rubus ellipticus is a summer fruiting type, with second-year branches flowering and fruiting in summer, resulting once a year. The fruits are solid and do not separate from the receptacle, which is different from other species of hollow raspberries when the fruits are ripe and separate from the receptacle.
5. Introduction and cultivation status
Experimental studies have shown that there is a significant difference in fruit yield between Rubus ellipticus in its natural distribution area and non-natural distribution areas, indicating that Rubus ellipticus has weak ecological adaptability.
6. Propagation by cuttings
Cuttings with high lignification have a lower survival rate, which is similar to many other plants. Basal seedlings at 30-50 days after emergence are in a good semi-lignification state, similar to raspberries. They can be used for cuttings. However, the time required for green cuttings of Rubus ellipticus to root and survive is longer compared to other raspberries, and the formation of callus is slower. Additionally, they are prone to browning and rotting, which are common phenomena in raspberry cuttings. Green cuttings of Rubus ellipticus are formed in late spring and early summer when the climate is hot. The cuttings with apical buds have a higher transpiration rate and cannot survive after being inserted, so it is better for the upper end of the cuttings to not have apical buds or lateral branches.
7. Comparison of wild and artificial reproduction
Research shows that wild Rubus ellipticus mainly reproduces through vegetative propagation, and artificial cultivation can use asexual reproduction for seedling breeding. Rubus ellipticus completes flower bud differentiation in November each year, blooms from April to May, and the fruits mature from late June to early July. When introduced to low-altitude areas below 50m, the nutrient growth of Rubus ellipticus is good, but the fruiting rate decreases significantly, and the phenological period advances. It has weak ecological adaptability. When introduced to areas above 800m in altitude, Rubus ellipticus has good nutrient growth, higher fruiting rate compared to wild plants, and an earlier phenological period.
