Friday, May 7, 2010

SONOMA COUNTY BLACKBERRIES

IN SONOMA COUNTY THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO TYPES OF BLACKBERRY BUSHES. ONE IS A HIMALAYAN (RUBUS DISCOLOR) WHICH HAS A LARGE BERRY ABOUT 1 INCH IN DIAMETER, AND THE FLOWERS ARE 5 PETALED AND THEY ARE NON-NATIVE. THE ARE FOUND GROWING THOUGHOUT THE NORTH COAST RANGES, ESPECIALLY ON THE COASTAL AREAS. THE HIMALAYAN BLACKBERRY IS ALSO FOUND IN THE EASTERN U.S.

THE NATIVE BLACKBERRY IS A SMALLER BERRY AND IS RIBUS VITIFOLIUS AND IS FOUND IN SOME AREAS OF DRAINAGES. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT SEEN MANY OF THESE BUSHES IN THE WILD FOR SOME REASON. THEIR LEAVES ARE COMPOUND AND SMALLER THAN THE HIMALAYAN BLACKBERRIES. THEIR FLOWERS ARE MUCH NARROWER THAN THE HIMALAYAN AND ARE WHITE. I HAVE SEEN THEM AT PEPPERWOOD PRESERVE IN A MARSH SITUATION. THE POMO HARVESTED THEM IN AUGUST

BOTH TYPES OF BLACKBERRIES RIPEN IN THE JUNE TO JULY PERIOD.

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