Wine raspberr y is listed as a potentially invasive plant and banned in several New England states, but is not yet listed as invasive or noxious in North Carolina. However, it is known to be thicket-forming and can become quite weedy. Wine raspberry is a perennial, deciduous shrub growing to 9 feet high by 3 feet 3 inches wide at a medium rate. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen to edible fruit from August to September. The species is pollinated by Insects. It grows well in sandy, loamy, and clay soils and prefers moist, well-drained soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. Wine raspberry is easy to identify by its rounded leaflets and bristly stems with red hairs. In its native environment, it is often found in clearings in lowland and on low to medium elevations all over Japan and China. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and is reported to be sweet and juicy. It is a raspberry-type fruit, in that it is smaller than a traditional raspberry, contains a lot of seeds, and is not quite as flavorful. Wine raspberry is a potentially ornamental plant with red stems adding color to the winter garden. It can be propagated from seed, but also from division in the early spring. Information on blackberry cultivation for home gardeners is available in the NC State Extension publication Raspberries in the Home Gaden Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. More information on Rubus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheRubus idaeus subsp. idaeusRubus idaeus subsp. strigosusRubus laciniatus
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf feel
Prickly
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are bright green on top, alternate, compound leaves with three heart-shaped toothed leaflets. The underside of the leaves are silvery and very hairy.
Flower color
Red/Burgundy; White
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flower buds are red and hairy. Small flowers are white and star shaped with pointed tipped petals. Blooms from April to June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Aggregate; Drupe
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
After flowering, the fruit is enclosed in its calyx until just before it is ripe. Fruit ripens in August and September. The fruit is about .75 inches in diameter.
Stem color
Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
The canes have red glandular hairs. Red stems adding colour to the winter garden.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Eastern Asia, Korea, and Japan
Wildlife value
This plant provides nectar for pollinators. Fruit is edible by songbirds and small mammals. Thicket-like growth can provide cover for small animals and birds.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Aggregate; Drupe
Edibility
Juicy bright red fruits are eaten raw or cooked. Sweet and tart with a raspberry-like flavor, wineberries are used similarly to raspberries to make pastries, such as pie or other sweet treats.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Wineberries are used similarly to raspberries to make pastries, such as pie or other sweet treats.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Woodland
Landscape theme
Edible Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Barrier
Garden tags
#edible fruits #shrub #nectar plant early summer #nectar plant late spring #nectar plant mid-spring #ornamentals #pollinator plant #perennial #wildlife friendly #weedy