The Varieties of Wild Blackberry

Common Blackberry

• The common blackberry (rubus allegehniensis) grows in the wild in the northern Midwest states, often in woodlands, meadows, limestone glades and fencerows, according to Illinoiswildflowers.com. In addition to sweet, edible blackberries, the common blackberry plant produces white flowers with five petals that are typically one inch in diameter.

Himalayan Blackberry

• Native to Armenia, the oddly named Himalayan blackberry (rubus armeniacus) has become an invasive species in the Pacific Northwest where it is often confused with similar species rubus dicolor and rubus procerus. Like several other blackberry plants, the Himalayan blackberry produces small white flowers with five petals. In the Pacific Northwest, Himalayan blackberries arrive in the summer.

Smooth Blackberry

• The smooth blackberry (rubus canadensis) plant is a perennial, herbaceous plant that grows in woodland clearings and mountainous areas. The plants principal range occurs in the mountains of Georgia, though it has been expanding into the Northeast and Canada in recent years. Smooth blackberry plants can grow to ten feet. Its blackish red berries are very juicy when ripe.

Sand Blackberry

• Sand blackberry (rubus cuneifolius) fruit is drier than most blackberry varieties but is still edible. Found throughout Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana, this plant grows mainly in woodland margins and sandy soils. Its fruits, often used in jellies and jams, mature between July and September.

Pennsylvania Blackberry

• The Pennsylvania blackberry (rubus pensilvanicus) grows wild in Alabama, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Pennsylvania. Its berries can be eaten raw or mashed up to be used in jams. This blackberry plant prefers open woodlands, thickets and roadsides and feeds a variety of mammals and birds.