Leaf:  Alternate, palmately compound; leaflets serrate, ovate to oval, tapering at both ends or heart-shaped at base, 8 to 13 cm long and 1/2 as wide; 3 to 7 leaflets, usually 5;  middle leaflet larger than lateral leaflets;  upper surface yellow-green in color, fuzzy; lower surface pubescent, mostly on midrib and veins but also on leaf tissue, wooly and velvety, lighter in color compared to upper surface; petiole and rachis are spiny, pubescent, and glandular; leaves turning to a reddish shade in autumn. 

Flower:  Loosely clustered in terminal racemes of 12 to many flowers; lowest flowers subtended by a leaf;  each flower white to pinkish, 2 cm across, with 5 narrow petals, many pistils, many stamen, hairy; blooming May to June.

Fruit:  Oblong cluster of drupelets, juicy and sweet; 2 cm long; turning deep violet in late summer and fall, maturing in July; seeds numerous, yellowish.  

Stem:  Deep green with reddish-brown tinge; prickles to 1 cm long with broad base 3 to 5 mm wide; stems strongly angular, hairless or with hairs pressed flat to surface, with vertical vein-like lines; young canes sparsely glandular and hairy; stem becoming light brown towards base.

Form:  Medium upright or arching shrub, 1 m in height, though sometimes reaching 3 m.
 

Discussion

Rubus is Latin for "bramble" or "blackberry", reminiscent of "rubra" which means "red".  The species name  allegheniensis means "of or from the Allegheny Mountain" region of the Eastern United States.

Many birds and mammals use the blackberries as a source of food.  

Humans use the blackberries as a source of food as well, by using them in pies, jams, desserts, and eating them straight off the bush.  Some use the young leaves in teas to help stomach and intestinal aches.  The leaves and bark contain tannin which is now used as a medicine.  

The brambles on the bush were once called "lawyers" because if you would happen to fall into their clutches, you will have trouble getting away from them.  

Blackberries are not picked in England after September 29, because some English believe that Satan fell on a blackberry bush and cursed it when he was cast out of heaven.  Thus, the blackberry bush is said to be cursed by the devil after September 29.

Native Americans made strong twine from the stems of the blackberry bush.  They also used the thorny canes  as a barricade around the villages for protection.  

In Ancient Greece the leaves, roots, and berries of the blackberry bush were used a medicines; physicians prescribed the plant for gout.  Other uses were for treating diarrhea, sore throats, and wounds.  In the past, if berries were gathered at the right time of the moon they were said to be protection against all "evil runes". 

Distinguishing Characteristics

Blackberry has thorny, arching canes and 3 to 7 palmately-compound leaflets.  The only way we could tell the difference between the blackberry and black raspberry in the field guides was the vertical lines running along the blackberry stem. 

Associated Plants

Cream bush, toyon, cinquefoil, horkelia, timble berry, strawberry are sometimes found with blackberry.  However, blackberry grows mainly with nothing but members of its own family.

Distribution

The blackberry is native to the eastern and central United States and southeastern Canada, inhabiting dry prairies, roadsides, woodlands, and stream margins.

Images

Click each small picture to see a larger image. 

October, 2003  BL	October, 2003  BL	October, 2003  BL
October, 2003  BL	October, 2003  BL	October, 2003  BL
May 17, 2004	May 17, 2004	May 17, 2004

Location

N 39.26950°     W -89.89120°

West end of fitness trail, 6 paces northwest of first fence post, Loveless Park, South Locust Street, Carlinville, Macoupin County, IL.       

Copyright

Photos © 2003 Brandon Little and Jodi Hammann, Carlinville High School, linke@carlinvilleschools.net       
          

References

Petrides, George A. 1972. A field guide to trees and shrubs. 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 428pp

Oklahoma Biological Survey 
http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/shrub/rubu-all.htm

Alternative Nature Online Herbal
http://altnature.com/gallery/Blackberry.htm

The Missouri Flora Website
http://www.missouriplants.com/Whitealt/Rubus_allegheniensis_page.html

Medicine of North American Plants, Littleflower Publications
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/7048/black.html

Stalking the Wild Dandelion:  A Guide to Wild Edible Plants for Parents and Teachers to Use With Children
http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Blackberries.html

The Woodland Trust
http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/whatsnew/pressfirst.asp?aid=613

Chuck Kozak, Native Plants of Montara Mountain
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Rosa2.html

 Click here to return to the plant list for Carlinville High School's South-Central Illinois flora studies.