Blackberry

Scientific Binomial Name: Rubus fruticosus

Selection Information

Usage: Eat fresh, jams, baking, preserves, pies and fruit salads.

Selection: Also called Marion berries, Blackberries are extremely perishable and should be handled with care. Good-quality berries will be fairly firm and clean with good color.

Keep blackberries dry and cool in your refrigerator. Do not wash until you are ready to use them.

Avoid: Avoid berries that still have their caps (stems) attached or that are green or multi-colored (red or green). These berries are not ripe and will not develop full flavor. Overripe berries will be soft, dull-colored and may leak juice.

Storage: Unwashed, refrigerated Blackberries will keep for only a few days to a week. Your best bet is to freeze them or can them in preserves. Just make sure you wait to wash them right before using!

Seasonal Information

Blackberries are available from California form May to October.

Oregon and Washington berries are available from late July to late August.

Blackberry Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1 cup (144g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 60	Calories from Fat
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g	2%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 12g	4%
Dietary Fiber 6g
Sugars 6g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 50%
Calcium 4%	Iron 4%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Source: PMA's Labeling Facts

Blackberries are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They're also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Copper, and a great source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese.

Blackberry Tips & Trivia

The ancient Greeks used Blackberries as a cure for mouth and throat diseases and for preventing gout.
Blackberry leaves were once used as a hair dye. The English herbalist, Nicholas Culpeper, advised boiling Blackberry leaves in a lye solution to "maketh the hair black".