So-so blackberries?

I was so excited to find loads and loads of little blackberries. This is earlier in the season than I’m used to finding them, but I’m in a new area so that isn’t surprising. I picked at least a quart this morning, but they are tart at best, and at worst a little flavorless with almost a bitter aftertaste. I’m wondering if it’s the wild variety, how early the season is, or if anyone has any ideas. I’ve never had bad blackberries before! But with enough sugar...


Comments

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Wow, blackberries so early! August is usually the time for blackberries in BC, even in the balmy south coast regions. Maybe that is why they are so tart? Are you able to identify the species? A pic of the plant would help. These look quite luscious. Too bad they don't taste as good as they look.

  • Megan Venturella
    Megan Venturella Posts: 678 ✭✭✭✭

    @torey I’ll go get a picture and try to identify the species. It’s a beautiful stand of blackberries. Maybe later this season they’ll be better.

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @Megan Venturella Made my mouth water!

    I would love some fresh (great-tasting) blackberries! Maybe, as Tory suggested, the timing has something to do with the taste. Hope it turns out to be an awesome stand of blackberries!

  • Megan Venturella
    Megan Venturella Posts: 678 ✭✭✭✭

    They’re getting better!!!! A little sweeter every day. So maybe they were just too early? Not perfect, but much better.

    I couldn’t figure out the variety.

  • marjstratton
    marjstratton Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭✭

    Some times our blackberries are a bit off in their taste. Usually if it has been raining a lot, their taste may be a bit bland and watery. Conversely if it has been dry too long, they will be dry to the taste. Enough water and enough sun, makes them sweet and juicy.

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow, what a bounty. what a great find.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    What a great patch of blackberries! From the looks of the leaves, if they were in my province, I'd say they are Rubus ursinus aka California Blackberry or Pacific Trailing Blackberry. But there are many species within the genus so depending on where you are, you might have a different species.

    With the amount still to ripen, I'd say you were just a bit early in picking.

  • Megan Venturella
    Megan Venturella Posts: 678 ✭✭✭✭

    @torey I used an app to try to ID the species. It came up once as brambles, once as California blackberries like you said, and the last time I tried it didn’t work at all. The funny thing is I’m in South Carolina! But you and the all are in agreement, so why not?

  • Annie Kate
    Annie Kate Posts: 680 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2021

    Looks beautiful! We have a stand of wild blackberries that took over an old chicken run and they are getting ready to flower. But it looks nothing like yours! Enjoy @Megan Venturella!

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    I have looked at some of the Rubus species that are native to South Carolina and one that I found close to the leaf structure is R. occidentalis, but it is a Blackcap or Black Raspberry, not a Blackberry. If the receptacle (centre core) stays in place they are Blackberries. If the receptacle stays on the bush then they are Raspberries. Its difficult to see in the pic of the fruit but it looks as though the receptacle is still in the berries. There is also R. canadensis with a similar leaf structure but it is a thornless Blackberry variety and I'm not sure if it grows as far south as you are. I think I can see some thorns on your plants.

    The other two Blackberry species I looked at (R. trivialis & R. laciniatus) have deeply cut leaves that are quite different from the ones in your pic.

    It could also be a domestic species that has gone astray.

    Maybe @judsoncarroll4 has a better suggestion as to what type of berry this is.

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin
    edited June 2021

    That is our common black raspberry, or bramble berry. They vary greatly in flavor. They are totally dependent on soil and slope. Sometimes they are bland, sometimes peppery, occasionally they will be the best berry you ever eat! All can be combined for jam, wine, etc. It is still a bit early in the season for full flavor.

  • Megan Venturella
    Megan Venturella Posts: 678 ✭✭✭✭

    Well that’s exciting! Black raspberry sounds exotic. If the flavor is improving, maybe the best is yet to come!

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @Megan Venturella my blackberries are blossoming. Bees are happy. I have a thornless variety in the garden. They produce so many berries and spread a lot. I do not mind. I am just wondering whether the wild varieties are more nutritious than the one I have. But it is such a luxury to pick them and not mind the thorns.

  • karenjanicki
    karenjanicki Posts: 996 ✭✭✭✭

    I don't think they look ripe enough. It's very early for blackberries. Were the bushes small and low? They could be boysenberries which are good for cooking.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Blackberry wine is one of my favourite fruit wines! The Lower Mainland of BC and Vancouver Island are prolific producers of blackberries; domestic farms and wild berries. The very invasive Himalayan Blackberry was introduced and can now be found everywhere; ditches, roadsides, old farms, abandoned properties. So there is a big blackberry wine industry. Some of the wineries specialise in nothing but wild fruit while others farm a number of varieties. All delicious!

  • tilathehunn
    tilathehunn Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    I do not pick my blackberries until the bracts are brown. If they are still green the flavour is not sweet

  • Megan Venturella
    Megan Venturella Posts: 678 ✭✭✭✭

    I don’t think they’re boysenberries, the plants get pretty tall.

    Now I have to make blackberry wine!!!!! Exciting.

  • Megan Venturella
    Megan Venturella Posts: 678 ✭✭✭✭

    I missed the taste of real blackberries so I bought some at a farm stand last week. It was so funny- when I got home they were just a large cultivated version of what I have growing here, so very good but not what I’d call a blackberry at this point.

    BUT- the bramble berries are incredible in baked goods. Better than blackberries I think. We made pancakes and waffles with them and my sister made scones with them. Fantastic. 😋