Common blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) is a deciduous shrub endemic to North America. This wild plant is commonly found on clearings and woodland margins. Its fruit is edible and has a sweet, mildly spicy taste. The fruits are most commonly eaten raw, but they can also be cooked or dried.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Rubus allegheniensis is a North American species of highbush blackberry in Section Alleghenienses of the genus Rubus, a member of the rose family. It is the most common and widespread highbush blackberry in eastern and central North America. It is commonly known as Allegheny blackberry.
The characteristics of Rubus allegheniensis can be highly variable. It is an erect bramble, typically 1.5 meters (5 feet) but occasionally rarely over 2.4 m (8 ft) high, with single shrubs approaching 2.4 m or more in breadth, although it usually forms dense thickets of many plants. The leaves are alternate, compound, ovoid, and have toothed edges. The canes have many prickles, with white, 5-petal, 19-millimeter (3⁄4-inch) flowers in late spring and glossy, deep-violet to black, aggregate fruit in late summer. It is shade intolerant.
The presence of the species influences the dynamics of the understory vegetation of many forests in the eastern United States. An abundance of R. allegheniensis encourages new tree seedlings. Where the effects of herbivorous animals (such as whitetail deer) reduce the abundance of Allegheny blackberry, a competitor, Sitobolium punctilobulum (hay-scented fern), takes over; where S. punctilobulum becomes common, the growth of tree seedlings is restricted.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Although you can find some Rubus species under the forest canopy, common blackberry loves sunlight. Full sun or partial shade (6-8 hours of sunshine) will be the best for it to thrive. Avoid too crowded bush to allow ample sunlight and air movement, which will prevent your plant from diseases.
Temperature
As a large genus, Rubus has a wide distribution range which means you are always likely to find a proper species or cultivar that grows well in your garden. Generally, Rubus species flourish in temperate zones, and adaptable to slightly harsh conditions. Select cultivars that may thrive in your garden, thus the preferable climate will encourage them to bear more edible fruits. Common blackberry prefers moist to slightly dry conditions, so it is important to avoid waterlogging.
Watering
Your common blackberry needs little care once established, so making sure it receives about 2.5 cm water per week, is the only advice on watering. If your plant is grown in containers, you can water more according to the soil condition. Water deep when the topsoil is dry and slightly whitish. Never forget to keep the soil well-drained.
Soil
Common blackberry is not picky about soil, as long as the soil is slightly acidic and well-drained. The ideal soil pH range for it is 5.5–7 while a few species and cultivars of Rubus may tolerate slightly alkaline soil as well. Rich loamy soil mixing with some sandy soil can be a good option. Always remember to avoid the heavy clay soil because it can become soggy easily. Hilled soils that promote drainage can also be taken into consideration, instead of wet, flat fields.
Fertilizing
At the pre-planting stage, you can prepare the soil by fertilizing with a balanced fertilizer (N-P-K: 10-10-10). After planting your common blackberry, the best care you can give to it is to spread a mulch at the base of the row each year, which works similarly with slow-release fertilizer. You can do this every early spring or late fall. During growing season and fruiting season, you can also apply some balanced fertilizers for fruiting plants once every two to three months. Fertilizing your pot plants is more or less the same as with your garden ones.
Planting Instructions
Generally, common blackberry is planted with saplings that are easily purchased from nursery or gardening store. Avoid common blackberry collected in the forest as diseases are a big problem for wild Rubus.
plant your common blackberry in winter or early spring in your garden. Common blackberry grows wild where there is much sunlight from above and a wealth of leaf litter, otherwise known as mulch or organic matter in the soil below. Because of this, your planting site is recommended to have ample sunlight and you should have organic matter such as grass clippings readily available. Keep your plants far away from any wild brambles to keep them healthy. Also, plant your common blackberry in separate rows. The optimum spacing can be achieved by creating rows about 3 m apart with plants 60 cm apart within each row. Set a trellis on each side and tie the canes onto the trellis line or wire.
Common blackberry will spread both rapidly and at long distances. If you do not want it everywhere in your garden, regularly prune it or grow it in containers. You are recommended to find a prickle-free and small variety to plant in pot, which may be handy for you. Use a shallow but large container for it because its roots spread shallowly outward. Potting soil and sunny place are standards for common blackberry.
Pruning
Pruning is important for common blackberry growers. Prune all canes that bore fruit this year down to the bottom right after harvest. All first-year canes should be cut about half to stimulate lateral growth from the side every late winter or early spring. Remove all suckers and trim overcrowded canes. Common blackberry grown in patches must be pruned to ensure that individual canes are not touching to avoid disease infections. Be sure to remove any thinned or pruned canes from the field because old canes left on the ground can harbor disease.
Propagation
Both roots and stem cuttings can be planted to propagate new individual plants. Because of this, make sure to purchase plants from a reputable nursery, otherwise diseases are spread everywhere with your new individuals. You can do root cutting in late winter to ensure the threat of hard frosts is gone, or stem cutting in early summer. The operations are the same. Cut a 10 cm long root or stem and plant it into the moist, clean soil. Keep the soil moist and it will take 2-4 weeks to root.
If you try to grow common blackberry from seeds, remember that you must recreate a harsh environment such as exists in the birds’ crop (digestive tract) where sand, pebbles, and seeds churn. Therefore, you must scrap the seed with a file or sandpaper to open up the tough seed coat and allow it to sprout. Sow in early fall in the ground and some may need cold treatment at 3 ℃ for a month before sowing at the beginning of the following year. There is no specific care required after sowing and you can transplant larger seedlings where they can grow better.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Ornamental uses
Common blackberry is an ornamental shrub commonly cultivated for its edible berries. This shrub makes an excellent natural privacy screen when used as a borders or hedge. Common blackberry is commonly planted in butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, meadows, and more. The nectar and fruit of the plant attract birds and a variety of pollinators while providing valuable nutrients to local wildlife.
- Culinary uses
The berries are edible and nutritious. They can be eaten raw and cooked into various treats, including pies, cobblers, muffins, jellies, and jams.
- Other uses
Many mammals eat the fruit, including elk, foxes, American black bears, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, mice, and chipmunks, and deer will browse the young canes. Blackberries are also an important food source for many species of birds. The mammals and birds that eat the fruit then disperse the seed in their droppings, enabling the plant to spread to new locations. A wide variety of native bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, ants, wasps, and other insects are attracted to the nectar and pollen of the flowers, and caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles eat the leaves. Birds and small mammals use the thickets formed by the canes for shelter.
IV. Harvesting and Storage
Taste the fruit and it will tell you when it is time to harvest. Ripe fruits will be sweet and juicy. If they are still sour or tart, let them ripen a bit longer. Usually you can start harvesting from mid-summer till mid-fall, according to varieties. You should harvest the fruits when all dews or raindrops are dry to prevent molds. They have a short shelf life, so refrigerate them after harvest without washing. As for some sour species, process them into delicious jams or jellies.
