Title: About wild blackberries
 Categories: Info, Fruits, Native, Jw, Canadian
      Yield: 1 Text file
 
           Info file
 
  Other Names: Dewberry, Bramble [wild roses are also known as Bramble
  or Bramblebush. Cultivated varieties include Loganberry, Boysenberry,
  Youngberry, Cascadeberry and garden blackberry.
  
  There are several species of blackberries but as they are similar in
  appearance, tend to hybridize freely and all are edible I won't go
  into detail. They are members of the genus, Rubus, as are Raspberries
  and are members of the Rose family along with Saskatoons, Hawthorns,
  Strawberries, Plums, Pin and Choke cherries, Crabapples, and Rowan
  trees.
  
  How To Recognize: Closely related to raspberries with compound
  aggregate fruits, composed of many small juicy fruits called
  drupelets, each with a single seed, adhereing together to form the
  "berry".
  
  When ripe, blackberries break off with the whitish receptacle in the
  middle still attached, in contrast to raspberries, which break off
  freely from the receptacle, leaving a hollow cavity in the middle of
  the fruit.
  
  They can be slender-caned and trailing [dewberries] or stouter and
  upright [blackberries]. The stems of all blackberries are woody and
  usually prickle covered. The leaves are compound with 3 to 5
  leaflets, toothed at the edges. The flowers are white to pinkish in
  small to large clusters and the ripe berries are dark red to black,
  juicy and slightly acid.
  
  Where To Find: Blackberries are mainly resticted to the eastern
  provinces and southern BC. They are found in dry open woods and along
  roadsides. They will take over waste places and old farm orchards and
  gardens where they can form dense thickets and choke out less
  aggressive plants.
  
  How To Use: Fresh or cooked, alone or with cream, sugar or other
  dressings. Ice cream. Syrups for beverages, coolers, cocktails and
  sauces. Jams, jellies and preserves. Wine. Pies, tarts, cobblers and
  crisps. Sauce for cheesecake. Alone or with apples, raspberries or
  other fruits.
  
  The Indians used to mash them into cakes and dry them in the sun or
  over a fire for winter use. They can be dries whole like raisins. The
  leaves can be used for tea.