BLACKBERRY

Blackberry (Rubus). usually prickly, fruit-bearing bush of the genus Rubus (family Rosaceae), native chiefly to the north temperate regions of the Old and New World; the thornless blackberry is a modern development. The blackberry is particularly abundant in eastern North America and on the Pacific coast; in the British Isles and western Europe it is a common copse and hedge plant. The bush is characterized by its usually biennial, prickly, erect, semi-erect, or trailing stems; leaves with usually three or five oval, coarsely toothed, stalked leaflets, many of which persist through the winter; white, pink, or red flowers in terminal clusters; and black or red-purple fruits, each consisting of numerous drupelets adhering to a juicy core. The several trailing species of Rubus, which lack woody fibre in the stem, are commonly called dewberries. In modern times there are tens of thousands of blackberry hybrids and segregates of various types. In the U.S. there are about 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) under blackberry cultivation; in the U.K., about 1,000. Blackberries are a fairly good source of iron and vitamin C. They are eaten fresh; in preserves, conserves, jams, or jellies; and in baked goods, particularly cobblers and pies.