There are at least 122 species of blackberries grown in the United States. The boysenberry, loganberry, and youngberry are actually blackberry – red raspberry hybrids.
The center of the blackberry is called the receptacle. Unlike red and black raspberries, you eat this part of the fruit. The darker it is, the sweeter the berry will be.
When fully ripe, blackberries will separate from the plant with only a small tug. If you have to pull at all, leave that one to ripen.
They should be a dark purple-black color. Even the inner part, which is the receptacle, should be a shade of purple and not white.
Be sure to look in behind the canes, often the best clusters are slightly hidden.
Don’t fill your containers more than 5” full. The berries are delicate and will crush easily, especially on a hot summer day!
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