This very hairy raspberry is
commonly called the "Japanese wineberry."
Rubus
phoenicolasius has stems that are densely covered with red-brown
glandular hairs and bears bright red fruit. It originated in Japan and
Western China, was introduced to England in about 1876 and to the United
States in 1890 by John Lewis Childs. This species has escaped cultivation
and is now "spontaneously" growing throughout the United States. Breeders
have crossed this species with Rubus idaeus L, the red raspberry.
Rubus phoenicolasius contains a gene for yellow fruit (Y) and a
supressor gene (Ys) which results in the red fruit in the species. When
the species is crossed, yellow-fruited offspring are produced.This species has been used as a virus indicator for raspberry yellow spot and wineberry latent virus.
K.E. Hummer, 12/95