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| Can life get any better? |
In my boyish years, I regarded the Trailing
Blackberry (Rubus ursinus) as an annoying vine which frequently sawed
into my ankles as I darted through the woods playing war with the neighbor
kids. In my estimation, the fruit from such a small plant couldn’t possibly be
worth the trouble to pick, especially with so many large fruited Himalayan
Blackberry (Rubus discolor) briars
growing along our alley.
With age, however, came both patience and experience, and I have since learned to not only appreciate, but prefer our
native Trailing Blackberry to its larger, invasive cousin. It is true that the
fruit is much smaller, but what they lack in size, they make up for in flavor. When
fully ripe, those little black jewels are packed with the very essence of
summer berryliciousness. They are scrumptiously sweet with a slight tang and a
complex fruity taste- as if all the summer’s fruit were distilled into one.
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| Berries in various stages of ripeness. Pick only those that are fully black. |
Trailing blackberries abound in forests
dominated by Douglas Fir (Psuedotsuga
menziesii) and like many of our wild berries, they will only fruit when
they receive ample light. Target tree openings on south facing slopes and the edges
of forest stands for the best picking. Whether you take them home for pie, eat
them fresh on ice-cream, or like me, eat them sun-warmed, right off the vine, be
sure and smell your berry stained fingers for your dessert’s dessert.