What fruit is the raspberry? How does it differ from the Chinese raspberry (fupenzi)?

Raspberries mostly grow in sunny hillsides, valleys, wastelands, beside streams, and in moist spots among dense or sparse shrubbery, and have not yet been introduced and cultivated artificially. The flowering period is February to March, and the fruiting period is April to June. So what fruit is the raspberry? How does it differ from the Chinese raspberry (fupenzi)?

The professional name of the raspberry is mountain raspberry, a plant of the genus Rubus in the rose family. It is distributed in Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Myanmar, and in Gansu, Tibet, Northeast China, Qinghai, Xinjiang and other places in mainland China, growing in areas at altitudes of 200 m to 2,200 m, mostly in sunny hillsides, valleys, wastelands, beside streams, and in moist spots among dense or sparse shrubbery, and has not yet been introduced and cultivated artificially. It has the effects of astringing essence, benefiting the kidneys, supporting yang, improving eyesight, sobering up and quenching thirst, resolving phlegm and detoxifying, and mainly treats symptoms such as kidney deficiency, nocturnal emission, drunkenness, and erysipelas. The leaves are slightly bitter in nature and have the effects of clearing heat, soothing the throat, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and healing sores, and mainly treat symptoms such as sore and swollen throat, multiple abscesses, and mastitis. In the Xiangxi region of Hunan, people often mash the tender leaves and feed them to animals to treat diarrhea.

The difference between Chinese raspberry (fupenzi) and raspberry

When it comes to the raspberry, many people still do not know that it can also be called fupenzi. In fact, the two are the same fruit. When the fruit has not yet ripened, processing it into medicinal material gives it the name fupenzi. The fruit that people eat in daily life is called the raspberry. To put it plainly, the biggest difference between fupenzi and the raspberry is that the former is the unripe fruit, while the latter is the ripe fruit.

Fupenzi

The main use of fupenzi is as medicine; it has a very good conditioning effect on organs such as the liver and kidneys. It can support yang, improve eyesight, and secure essence, effectively treating symptoms such as nocturnal emission and spermatorrhea, and premature graying of beard and hair. It has been extensively recorded in many traditional Chinese herbal medicine books in China.

Raspberry

The raspberry is a common fruit with a sweet and sour, pleasant taste. Its color is reddish brown, and its shape is somewhat like a small strawberry. It can be processed into various beverages, canned goods, fruit wine, and many other foods.