I've taken it upon myself to maintain the ditch area in front of our house. I haven't weed-wacked it at all this summer because it was so hot and dry the growth wasn't very heavy. I was out there yesterday when I spotted what I think are native blackberry vines. Some people call them "wild mountain blackberries", but that's a bit inaccurate because they don't just grow in high elevations. I remember as a kid growing up in the northern burbs of Seattle in the late 50s, 60s finding large patches of these. I'm glad now that I neglected the ditch all summer, they probably wouldn't have taken root. They're definitely not boysenberry vines, which are a non-native invasive plant with very thick vines (but they produce large yummy berries.) I googled "blackberry vines" and sure enough, the "blackberries" in most of the links refer to boysenberries, not the native blackberries.

http://www.differencebetween.n...

There are three small vines ranging from about 2-5ft long. I discovered them when I was planting some creeping jenny along the bank of the ditch. I fed them some generic liquid plant food. Maybe I'll move the CJ so it won't smother the vines. The ditch picture was taken during the monsoon season last February.

Briny, those certainly appear to be our native Rubus ursinus, which I fondly refer to as 'ankle grabbers.' The common name I am familiar with is Pacific blackberry.

I didn't read the article in the link completely through at first. I think they have this backwards. The thick boysenberry vines I'm familiar with grow upright, the native blackberries hug the ground.

The boysenberry is more fragile than the blackberry. The boysenberry plants grow horizontally, when compared to the erect type of blackberry.

Well, I hate to repeat myself. Sorry guys.

I do like the tiny ones best myself. But I sure don't have the patience to pick them like I did as a girl. I imagine it has a lot to do with childhood memories and influences. I would be happy to find a little row of them to make one small pie a summer though. My husband and I cannot seem to eat summer fruit desserts without talking about our favorite aunts and uncles and parents from our childhood.

Are you referring to the Himalayan blackberries as boysenberries? The ones that are non-native and invasive and grow literally everywhere? I find those quite delicious myself, they make the best jam. I've never had the patience or interest in gathering the small native blackberries, although I do have them. I leave those for the critters.

Himalayan blackberries (non-native, invasive, bushy)


Pacific blackberry (native, trailing)

I only cooked with the large berries once. I made a cobbler. If you let the vanilla ice cream melt a little you would end up drinking the dessert out of the bowl. My husband named is cobbler soup. I do believe I have not used the bigger berries enough though to rule them out. You have inspired me to make some black berry jam next year. Thanks Deb. If there is any tricks involved, please share. I don't think I have made jam since my sons were little and they are in their 30s now.

I just follow the recipe from the pectin box, and usually use some sort of no/low sugar pectin. I aim for more fruit than sugar, but it depends on how sweet you like your jam. I don't process jams in a water bath, seems the only reason for doing so is to prevent mold from forming. I just check for mold when I open a jar, and it is quite rare to find any. I do refrigerate after opening.

Thanks, that will be easy enough to remember. I guess I will start collecting some jars over the winter. This will be fun.

I was mowing the lawns yesterday and thought I would mow the low part of the ditch directly in front of the hedge (more like "vacuuming" up the dead laurel leaves.) As I was doing so, I discovered another vine that had just sprouted, more leaves than vine. It was at the far end of the ditch near the street corner, so I turned the mower off and looked around. I discovered around a couple dozen other fairly new sprouts and about a 3ft vine all down the length of the ditch! I got pics, but decided not to post them, too time consuming.

I would love to get a few cuttings. Would love he blackberry raspberry etc from up in the northwest.

I doubt it would make it there, the native blackberry is used to about 8 months of cool wet weather, then a cool very dry summer! How about I send you some seeds this summer and you give it a try?

@pistol, let me think about the seeds. I have not tried to grow much thru seeds. Usually start with cuttings or established plants.

Update: I put these on Plant Amnesty thinking someone would jump on them, but nary a word. So I put them in the free section on Next Door, got a taker right away. The lady who came and got them said she already has a patch on an embankment behind her house that she tends to, and doesn't mind adding to it.