Plant of the Day: Himalayan Blackberry

Here's the next entry in Plant of the Day, this month's retrospective of plants I've gotten to know during the past couple years of attending Pacific Northwest wild food events.

Today's plant is Himalayan blackberry. It stole my lens cap, cut up my hands and arms, and bullies native plants into submission, but it is not entirely without redeeming qualities.

Once again, my disclaimer: these posts are meant to catalog my experiences as a wild food novice. I hope these posts entertain and encourage, and prime the pump for learning you'll do out in the field with a real expert. Please don't eat wild plants you're not familiar with based only on the information in these posts or other online resources. To find upcoming classes, see the Wild Food A La Carte Page.

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Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)

Himalayan blackberries have a bad reputation, and they’ve earned it. Like a criminal gang, they are noxious as a group. They out-compete native plants and run rampant over landscapes when not kept in check. And they’re also kind of bastards to meet one-on-one, too.

I’d heard the former often at native plant events, but recently lived the latter.

Blackberry blossoms

Newly obsessed with the idea of free berries, I headed out last weekend with a foraging friend for one of my first urban forays.  She found us a good spot for picking, and we got to work. And we got to exclaiming “Ow!” every few minutes as we were stuck by the brambles.

I mean, I was aware that Himalayan blackberries have thorns, but it’s one thing to understand that academically, and another to get in there and fight with them for their fruit. I came away scratched, bleeding, and dusty. The bushes also took my lens cap as some sort of battle trophy.

Nevertheless, my friend and I managed to collect four berry baskets full of fruit, and, because I am, again, fixated on the idea of free berries, I found the minor injuries and the effort worth it. I brought them home, washed them, laid them out on cookie sheets to freeze, and now have a big container full of totally free berries. (Well, totally free minus the cost of 1 lens cap.)

Our picking was probably made more challenging by the fact that the berries were just starting to get ripe. By this weekend or next, more of the berries should be ready to go, meaning you might not have to reach so far into the bushes to get to them, and avoiding some bloodshed. You might see me out there, picking until I have picked a lens cap's worth of berries goddammit.

Plant info

• For more on the invasive angle of this plant, check out this King County report.
• For a cobbler recipe (and more encouragement to get out picking), see Fat of the Land.
• Deborah Gardner of Seattle Local Food wrote about them a few years ago for The New York Times. The article includes a pie recipe.

Larger-druped berry towards bottom, somewhat smaller-druped berries towards topMy friend gave me a few picking tips for identifying the ripe-and-ready berries: look for berries with larger drupes (round segments that make up the berry), and those that come easily off the branch without much tugging. She also had the great idea of bringing the berry baskets she’d saved from prior purchases; the berries are delicate, and the ones I first put in a Ziploc did start to get squished.

And we’d both recommend a long-sleeved shirt (I’m thinking the thickness of a denim shirt might help protect you). You might also consider some gloves, although I personally found it too hard to gauge whether the berry would yield easily without actually using my fingertips.

Update on Aug 30, 2011 by Leslie Seaton

Check out this post on Questionland Seattle re pesticides and berry-picking within Seattle.

Comments

[SmithsHallow]

I too have found myself addicted to picking berries. I pick everyday and hope to continue until the season is sadly over. So far we have made awesome cobblers, wicked sweet syrup and will be making jelly this weekend. Our cupboards will be heavy with the summers bounty. Our family believes in giving to others and a great deal will be taken the the food bank. I for one am very proud of every cut, scratch, poke & thorn removed. Proof that I tangled with the berry bush and have won. Small victory to some but huge to those who love berries. I wish more would consider picking fresh & bountiful summer fruits for their families. Great article.

[jess]

You know, I blogged about them last year (here) but this year I have been so busy picking and jamming, I haven't had time to write about them. We've probably picked 30 lbs so far!

[Leslie Seaton]

SmithsHallow - that is so cool that you are donating some! Good for you and your fam!

Jess - holy cow!!! 30 lbs? That's awesome!