Blackberry plants are native in many parts of the world, but are considered invasive in some places where they are not native, such as Australia. Blackberry plants are also called “brambles” – which is easy to understand, given their propensity to take over an area with luxuriant, prickly growth. Blackberries fall under the genus Rubus – which means “red” in Latin, though the berries are too dark to be red – but raspberries are also in the Rubus genus. It can be very hard to nail down the species of a given wild blackberry plant, though. Blackberries hybridize quite easily, and there are at least 375 recognized species (and perhaps there are many more). Many of these species could be considered “microspecies”, varying only slightly from other blackberry species, and easily pollinating each other.
What could you use a blackberry plant for? There are several options!
Of course you could eat the berries, and they are tasty. Choose plants that are not near enough to a highway that they are likely to have been sprayed with herbicides. The dark berries are extremely rich in nutritious phytochemicals, some of which are good in fighting cancer. The seeds are nutritious, too – they contain omega-3 and omega-6 oils, among other compounds.
The leaves and root-bark can be used to treat dysentery and diarrhea, sore throats, and mouth inflammations. The leaves can be used to constrict blood vessels, so they are good for wound care (to control bleeding and to limit bruises). Preparations from the leaves can be used to tighten tissues – such as skin for beauty treatments, and shrink hemorroids. Tea made from blackberry leaves can lower blood sugar, and it can relieve fluid retention and swelling or inflammation. Blackberry tea could be dangerous for pregnant women – it might stimulate uterine contractions.
Of course you could eat the berries, and they are tasty. Choose plants that are not near enough to a highway that they are likely to have been sprayed with herbicides. The dark berries are extremely rich in nutritious phytochemicals, some of which are good in fighting cancer. The seeds are nutritious, too – they contain omega-3 and omega-6 oils, among other compounds.
The leaves and root-bark can be used to treat dysentery and diarrhea, sore throats, and mouth inflammations. The leaves can be used to constrict blood vessels, so they are good for wound care (to control bleeding and to limit bruises). Preparations from the leaves can be used to tighten tissues – such as skin for beauty treatments, and shrink hemorroids. Tea made from blackberry leaves can lower blood sugar, and it can relieve fluid retention and swelling or inflammation. Blackberry tea could be dangerous for pregnant women – it might stimulate uterine contractions.
You could control erosion on a steep bank by encouraging brambles to grow. Blackberries will grow in a wide variety of soil conditions.
Blackberries are an important food source and habitat for wildlife. And they have a positive relationship with bees – the bees pollinate the blackberry flowers, and the flowers yield food for the bees. Bee populations are dangerously stressed right now.
If you need a natural dye, you can get purple and dark blue colors from blackberry.
You never know when this might come in handy: you could make strong rope or twine from the fibers of the long blackberry canes, or stems. Various Native American peoples have known how to do this.
For information about visiting the Phinizy Swamp:
http://naturalsciencesacademy.org/
Blackberries are an important food source and habitat for wildlife. And they have a positive relationship with bees – the bees pollinate the blackberry flowers, and the flowers yield food for the bees. Bee populations are dangerously stressed right now.
If you need a natural dye, you can get purple and dark blue colors from blackberry.
You never know when this might come in handy: you could make strong rope or twine from the fibers of the long blackberry canes, or stems. Various Native American peoples have known how to do this.
For information about visiting the Phinizy Swamp:
http://naturalsciencesacademy.org/
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