Blackberry Plant Identification

Blackberries are eaten warm off the vine and made into wines. They are featured in North American dishes ranging from cobblers and pies to jams and cheesecakes. They are also said to have medicinal properties and have been used to treat diarrhea, according to Traders Creek Edible Plants-Wild Survival Guide. Identifying the plant on which this sweet, wild fruit grows is not difficult -- especially if the berries are in season.

Blackberry blooms begin as white and turn pink as they mature.

Size

Blackberries grow in a shrub or bush with trailing or climbing branches. The shrub itself may grow from two to eight feet tall. The branches may be as long as 32 feet in length, according to the Department of Primary Industries in Victoria, Australia. The bushes now grow wild on the Australian continent after being introduced by European settlers. The blooms of the blackberry bush, which begin as white and slowly become pink as spring passes into summer, are about the size of a quarter. The berries on the bush may grow from one-half inch to one-inch in length.

Features

The branches of a blackberry bush may have thorns or may be smooth. Leaves are in groups of three to five and are oval in shape, coming to a point at the end. There are teeth-like indentations around the edges of the leaves. The blooms of the blackberry plant are small, with five petals and containing a short stem. The fruit of the blackberry is found in clusters of several berries. The berries are green, then red and mature to black in color.

Geography

The blackberry bush grows wild throughout much or North America and is cultivated by gardeners in many parts of the world, according to Traders Creek Edible Plants-Wild Survival Guide. The wild blackberry bush is most often found in uncultivated areas and along fencerows. The bushes grow in thickets and are most often found in full-sun or partially shaded areas. The blackberry bush first blooms in spring and early summer. The fruit appears in mid-supper and is mature by late summer and autumn.

Considerations

The blackberry plant is a member of the brambles family, according to Early American Life Magazine's article "Foraging for Blackberries." Brambles are woody plants with thorns and arching branches or stems, called canes. While blackberries and raspberries are in the same family, according to the article, there are some distinct differences. Blackberry canes are flattened and raspberry canes are rounded. In addition, when a blackberry is picked, the receptacle -- the area at the top of the fruit that holds it to the vine -- comes off with it. With raspberries, the receptacle is left on the bush, making the fruit hollow.

Warnings

While the fruit of the blackberry is sweet, there is a price to pay for getting it. Blackberries ripen in the hottest part of summer, at the height of mosquito season and there are those thorns with which the picker must contend. If you've identified your blackberry bush and you're ready to begin harvest, ensure your safety by wearing long plants and long sleeves. This will protect you against thorns, parasites and other pests. It's best to gather as early in the morning as possible, according to Traders Creek, and to be on the lookout for poison ivy, which is often found among blackberry thickets.

References

• Blackberry Plant Identification and Cultivation Guide
• Foraging for Blackberries
• Blackberry Identification