The genus Rubus, (especially the blackberries, which are often loosely referred to as Rubus fruticosus agg.) presents some of the most difficult taxonomic problems. This is partly due to the frequency of polyploidy; also to the frequent occurrence of hybridization; and also due to apomixis, where minor differences between plants are preserved because seedlings are genetically identical to their parent. As a result, differences of opinion on the number of species to be recognized from a given region can vary tremendously (for example, a treatment by M. L. Fernald[] in 1950 recognized 205 species for the northern half of the eastern United States plus parts of southeastern Canada, whilst H. A. Gleason and A. Cronquist in 1991 recognized only 25)[]. Where possible, a relatively conservative approach is taken here[].

Common Name:

General Information

Rubus bambusarum is an evergreen shrub, producing each year a cluster of vigorous, scrambling, prickly stems from a woody rootstock; the stems can grow up to 6 metres long[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in larger gardens[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - central and southern China (Guizhou, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan)

Habitat

Clearings on hills, forests; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in an average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade[]. The plant has good shade tolerance[].
Notable for its elegant and rapid growth, when trained up a pillar or similar support, its slender branches arch outwards in all directions with growths 3 - 3.6 metres long being made in a single season[].
Pruning should be carried out immediately after fruiting, cutting back and removing dead growth.

Edible Uses

The young leaves are used for tea[].

Fruit - raw or cooked. The red to reddish black is subglobose[]. The fruits are produced in panicles 7 - 13cm long[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[].

Propagation

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, mid summer in a frame[].
Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn.
Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[].