Have you ever had home-made blackberry jam? On toast, sandwiches, or cornbread this is one of my absolute favorites. This bounty comes with a price. Thorns, and I’m talking clothes ripping, hand pricking, blood letting thorns. And I swear these snaky tendrils reach out and grab you when you’re not looking. Think your free? Walk away, nope, that one was around your bare ankle.

These, of course were the Himalayan Rubus discolor Blackberries. A Non-native species to the Northwest. This plant is by far the most prolific producer of fruit. And, as I’ve stated, are so darn good. Find a good jam recipe, or make a pie. Mmmm. Ok, for the connoisseur. There is, in smaller patches, another species of blackberry. This is the Trailing Blackberry Dewberry Rubus ursinus. And it is a native. You can tell by the flowers, which are like little star bursts rather than the rounded petals of the Himalayan. There are rolling blankets of these blooms all over our property right now. Beautiful. These little gems need to be picked one by one and savored on the spot. These are truly that good. When you hit a patch that is just at the absolute almost falling off in your hand ripeness there is truly nothing better. Enjoy!

There is also the Black Raspberry Rubus leucodermis or Blackcap. The way you tell the difference from this and a blackberry is this. Blackcaps or raspberries pull away hollow. Blackberries (Himalayan) are not hollow. Trailing Blackberry Rubus ursinus our tasty native has a tri-leaf configuration and the flowers go from white to pink. Because the male and female plants are separate. You may find large patches with no fruit (male).

Pete Skenandore
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