Practical
Plants

Rubus fruticosus

Blackberry

a deciduous fruit creeper of the Rubus genus in the family Rosaceae. It produces edible fruits in abundance between summer and autumn, which are much loved by birds.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rubus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
3 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Flower colours
white
Pollinators
Insects, Apomixy

Uses

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[20][23][24][3][9]. The best forms have delicious fruits and, with a range of types, it is possible to obtain ripe fruits from late July to November[K]. The fruit is also made into syrups, jams and other preserves[15]. Some people find that if they eat the fruit before it is very ripe and quite soft then it can give them stomach upsets[K]. Root - cooked. The root should be neither to young nor too old and requires a lot of boiling[23]. A tea is made from the dried leaves[13] - the young leaves are best[21]. The leaves are often used in herbal tea blends[15]. Young shoots - raw. They are harvested as they emerge through the ground in the spring, peeled and then eaten in salads[17].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Raw, Fresh, Cooked
Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Jam, Jelly, Syrup, Preserve
Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea
Plant part
Root
Product or use
Cooked
Plant part
Shoots
Product or use
Raw, Fresh, Cooked

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The root-bark and the leaves are strongly astringent, depurative, diuretic, tonic and vulnerary[19][23][24][6][18]. They make an excellent remedy for dysentery, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, cystitis etc, the root is the more astringent[19][15]. Externally, they are used as a gargle to treat sore throats, mouth ulcers and gum inflammations[15][18]. A decoction of the leaves is useful as a gargle in treating thrush and also makes a good general mouthwash[23].

Plant part
Roots
Plant part
Roots
Product or use
Dental care
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Dental care

Material uses

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[7]. A fibre is obtained from the stem and used to make twine[22]. Plants are spread by seed deposited in the droppings of birds and mammals. They often spring up in burnt-over, logged or abandoned land and make an excellent pioneer species, creating the right conditions for woodland trees to move in. The trees will often grow in the middle of a clump of blackberries, the prickly stems protecting them from rabbits[K].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Dye
Plant part
Stem
Product or use
Fibre

Ecology and functions

Pioneer

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, to the Mediterraneanand Macaronesia.
Habitat
A very common and adaptable plant, found in hedgerows, woodland, meadows, waste ground etc[8][17].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, drought
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

Seed - requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and is best sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[11]. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn[11].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil[1][2][11]. Succeeds in acid and calcareous soils[10]. Tolerates poor soils[12]. Established plants are drought resistant[4]. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade[1][2][11], though it fruits less well in the shade[12]. Plants will also fruit when grown in fairly deep shade or against a north facing wall, though the fruit will ripen later[14]. Plants tolerate quite severe exposure[10]. Hardy to at least -18°c[12]. R. fruticosus is an aggregate species made up of several hundred slightly differing species. The reason for this is that most seed is produced by a non-sexual method (Apomixis) and is therefore genetically identical to the parent plant. On occasions when sexual production of seed takes place the offspring will all be slightly different from the parent plant and will then usually reproduce as a new species by means of apomixy. Modern treatment of this aggregate usually does not use the name R. fruticosus because of the confusion over which species it should apply to, the type species of the aggregate should be called R. ulmifolius[5]. The following members of the aggregate have been highly recommended for their fruit[5]. R. badius. R. cyclophorus. R. gratus. R. nemoralis. R. oxyanchus. R. pyramidalis. R. separinus. R. winteri. The following members are said to be nearly as good. R. balfourianus. R. broensis. R. carpinifolius. R. foliosus. R. fuscoviridis. R. infestus. R. insericatus newbouldianus. R. koehleri. R. largificus. R. londinensis. R. ludensis. R. macrophyllus. R. obscurus. R. pseudo-bifrons. R. rhombifolius. R. riddelsdellii. R. scaber. R. thyrsiflorus. R. vallisparsus. R. vestitus. Plants form dense thickets and this makes excellent cover for birds[10]. They regenerate freely after being cut back[10]. This species is also a good plant for bees and butterflies[16]. This species has biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die[11]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[11].

Crops

Fruit

R. fruticosus fruits abundantly in Summer and Autumn. The fruits soften and turn from green through red to deep as they ripen. When fully ripe they can be picked from the plant with almost no effort, and may fall to the ground if the plant is knocked. The fruits ripen successively, providing a continual harvest for a long period, but once ripened berries very quickly over-ripen and lose their sweetness.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

    ↩

  4. Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.

    ↩

  5. Watson. W. C. R. Handbook of the Rubi of Great Britain and Ireland.

    ↩1↩2

  6. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

  7. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  8. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  9. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  10. Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  12. Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-670-82929-3

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  14. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩

  15. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  16. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

    ↩

  17. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2

  18. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2

  19. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  20. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

    ↩

  21. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  22. Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-946284-51-2

    ↩

  23. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  24. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2

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