Indigenous Raspberries - delicious!
Australia has 8 indigenous raspberries in the true sense that they bear red raspberries on mostly prickly bi-ennial canes. Whilst much is known of It’s close relatives in the northern hemisphere which number in their hundreds, little information is available on Australian Rubus species and their taxonomic variations, which isn’t surprising given real interest in Australian natives is still in it’s infancy. Australia 's raspberries are sweet and juicy with distinctive colours and flavours. Locally we have 3 varieties available. The molucca berry shows the most promise as a cultivated variety as it has the best yield and works well with similar growing practices to the European and hybrid varieties.
Rubus parvolfolius is a very small plant, with little yield but very delicious berries.
Rubus rosafolius - the rose leaved raspberry known locally as the fernleigh raspberry - is quite opportunistic and therefore unreliable as a cultivated crop. The fruits however are delightful in colour, flavour and texture. supply is currently limited to wild harvest from local private properties and sells very quickly. Plants are sometimes available.
Rubus moluccanus. (Molucca bramble or Molucca berry) Australia ’s molucca berry is closely related to and resembles the European raspberry familiar to most people, but with a brighter colour and sweeter flavour. It is a rainforest fruit that grows happily alongside streams and shady creeks, over a wide are of eastern Australia from Victoria in the south to tropical north Queensland . Fruit is available fresh in season (usually winter in northern NSW – can vary widely with climatic conditions) and frozen at other times. As well as being delicious to eat Molucca Berries are very nutritious and are fast gaining a reputation as a natural medicine (even to treat cancer). Nutritionally, they contain on average 1.5% protein, .01% Thiamin, 0.02% Riboflavin and 1% Vitamin C. Recent research undertaken by Food Science Australia shows the berries have extremely high anti-oxidant activity. Other research undertaken at Charles Sturt University suggests the berries could be developed for their anti-bacterial properties. The antimicrobial activity of molucca berry juice and dried molucca berries were investigated against five human pathogenic bacteria, and both were found to significantly reduce the growth of several species of bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Alcaligenes faecalis and E. Coli.
Further, tea made from the dried leaves and berries can assist greatly during late pregnancy, containing a substance that relaxes the uterus, preparing for birth. A truly useful plant.
GROWERS NEEDED FOR THIS CASH CROP FRUIT WITHIN TWO YEARS.
Rubus parvolfolius is a very small plant, with little yield but very delicious berries.
Rubus rosafolius - the rose leaved raspberry known locally as the fernleigh raspberry - is quite opportunistic and therefore unreliable as a cultivated crop. The fruits however are delightful in colour, flavour and texture. supply is currently limited to wild harvest from local private properties and sells very quickly. Plants are sometimes available.
Rubus moluccanus. (Molucca bramble or Molucca berry) Australia ’s molucca berry is closely related to and resembles the European raspberry familiar to most people, but with a brighter colour and sweeter flavour. It is a rainforest fruit that grows happily alongside streams and shady creeks, over a wide are of eastern Australia from Victoria in the south to tropical north Queensland . Fruit is available fresh in season (usually winter in northern NSW – can vary widely with climatic conditions) and frozen at other times. As well as being delicious to eat Molucca Berries are very nutritious and are fast gaining a reputation as a natural medicine (even to treat cancer). Nutritionally, they contain on average 1.5% protein, .01% Thiamin, 0.02% Riboflavin and 1% Vitamin C. Recent research undertaken by Food Science Australia shows the berries have extremely high anti-oxidant activity. Other research undertaken at Charles Sturt University suggests the berries could be developed for their anti-bacterial properties. The antimicrobial activity of molucca berry juice and dried molucca berries were investigated against five human pathogenic bacteria, and both were found to significantly reduce the growth of several species of bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Alcaligenes faecalis and E. Coli.
Further, tea made from the dried leaves and berries can assist greatly during late pregnancy, containing a substance that relaxes the uterus, preparing for birth. A truly useful plant.
GROWERS NEEDED FOR THIS CASH CROP FRUIT WITHIN TWO YEARS.