Rubus chingii, also known as large leaf raspberry, is a Chinese herbal medicine commonly used to treat back and leg pain. It has great medicinal value, with the main medicinal part being the fruit. The fruit can be consumed or used for medicinal purposes, and the root bark can be processed into oak gum. Rubus chingii is easy to propagate, but the cultivation process is complex, requiring a damp environment for growth.
1. Habitat
Rubus chingii grows in slopes, foot of the mountains, mountain gullies, forest edges, or damp areas at an altitude of 300-1500m. It is distributed in Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang, Hubei, Sichuan, and Guizhou.
2. Ecological Characteristics
Rubus chingii is an erect or climbing shrub, reaching a height of 1-2m. The branches are reddish-brown or brown, without hairs, and sparsely covered with thorns. The leaves are alternate, shield-shaped, ovate-round, with a heart-shaped base. Both sides of the leaves are covered with appressed soft hairs, and the lower side is denser with small thorns along the midrib. The edges are palmately lobed, with triangular-ovate lobes that are sharply or shortly acuminate, with irregular fine serrations. The petioles are hairless and have small thorns. The stipules are large, membranous, ovate-lanceolate, and hairless. The solitary flowers are terminal, with shorter pedicels than the petioles, and have a diameter of 5cm. The bracts are similar to the stipules. The calyx tube is usually hairless, with ovate-lanceolate calyx lobes that have soft hairs on both sides and toothed edges. The petals are nearly circular, white, longer than the calyx lobes. There are numerous stamens and multiple hairy pistils. The fruits are cylindrical, orange-red, and densely covered with soft hairs. The flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from June to July.
3. Cultivation
1. Rubus chingii can be planted in any region where the temperature is above 0°C, but spring and autumn are the best seasons for planting. The optimal planting time in spring is from mid-March to late April, and in autumn is from mid-October to late November. Plants planted in spring will bear a small amount of fruit in the same year, while those planted in autumn will bear fruit mostly in the following summer. The third year is the peak fruiting period, and it can continue to bear fruit for more than 30 years.
2. When planting Rubus chingii in pots, choose pots with a diameter of more than 30cm, with one plant per pot. Repotting should be done in spring or autumn each year. Rubus chingii plants that have been planted for more than 3 years should be repotted in pots with a diameter of 40 to 50cm to ensure yield. The roots of the plants should be filled with sufficient base fertilizer, preferably with decomposed soil and organic fertilizer.
4. Harvesting and Storage
Mature fruits are harvested in summer or autumn, and can be directly sun-dried or briefly soaked in boiling water before drying completely.
Rubus chingii is not commonly seen due to its specific growth environment. However, with good cultivation and care, the fruit yield can be significantly increased, making it valuable for planting. Weeding, loosening the soil, and fertilizing at the right time according to the seasonal changes are necessary to maximize the yield and value of Rubus chingii.
