Description
Savor the rich, juicy flavor of our blackberries, perfect for snacking, adding to cereals, baking into pies or cobblers, or blending into smoothies for a delicious treat. Available in our Local Farm Shop in Bellaghy, Mid Ulster Area.
🫐 Blackberries are juicy, dark-colored fruits that grow on thorny shrubs of the Rubus genus, part of the rose family (Rosaceae). Though commonly called berries, they’re technically aggregates of drupelets—each tiny bump on the fruit is a mini fruit with its own seed.
🌿 Plant Characteristics
- Growth habit: Perennial shrubs with biennial stems (called canes); can be erect, semi-erect, or trailing
- Leaves: Compound with 3–5 toothed leaflets; many persist through winter
- Flowers: White or pink, blooming in late spring to early summer
- Fruit: Starts red, ripens to deep purple or black; drupelets stay attached to a white core (unlike raspberries)
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
- Native to temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia
- Thrive in hedgerows, woodlands, roadsides, and even disturbed areas like wastelands
- Known for vigorous growth and can become invasive if unmanaged
🍽️ Uses & Nutrition
- Eaten fresh, or used in jams, pies, wines, and teas
- Rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants like anthocyanins
- Young leaves can be brewed into herbal tea or added to salads
🧬 Varieties & Cultivation
- Includes trailing, erect, and semi-erect types; some are thornless cultivars for easier harvesting
- Cultivated varieties often selected for flavor, size, and disease resistance
- Mexico and the U.S. (especially Oregon) are major producers
