black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)
native
pictures taken in june
black raspberry! my absolute most favorite fruit, and one you can't buy in stores - it doesn't preserve or travel well, and the plants fruit very briefly. the one time i saw some for sale and bought them, they were sort of flavorless...
these delicious bramble berries are similar to blackberries and raspberries and enjoy similar growing conditions, although they're not very competitive; when planted alongside other berries they tend to get outcompeted. they're commonly found at the edge of wooded areas - even small patches of trees by the side of the road or shady sidewalks!
their first-year canes are very distinctive and make black raspberry patches easy to spot - the stems are a smooth whiteish-green (see right pic) that stands out in the shade. its growth habit is quite interesting and elegant; long arching canes that crisscross over and tangle with each other.
the leaves are a light fresh green and can get fairly big; red raspberries and blackberries have smaller darker leaves. the stems of black raspberries are round and not hairy; blackberry and raspberry stems have smaller prickles, hairy stems, and not as smoothly-rounded.
i must emphasize that these berries are so tasty. gobotany says "the tasty berries are well worth enduring a few scratches" and this is so true. tromping around picking berries is a wonderful summer treat.
unlike red raspberries, the juice of these berries is very pigmented and will stain your hands for a few hours!
black raspberry fruits only briefly, usually in late june.