Thorny stems that grow up to 4m/13ft long with white or pale pink five-petalled flowers and bulbous, purplish-black fruits that grow in clusters.

When and how to pick blackberries

Blackberries can be picked from late summer through to mid-autumn – the earlier ones tend to be better raw, the later good for cooking.

Pick deep-black fruits (not the underripe red ones) that come away easily when pulled. They will temporarily stain your hands.

Thorns can easily snag on skin and tear clothing. Blackberries are high in fibre and can cause a stomach upset if you eat too many (I speak from childhood experience).

Why are there so many micro species of bramble?

There are over 400 described microspecies of bramble in the UK alone – each varying in the size and shape of leaf, growth habit and fruit.

So rich and complex is the world of the common blackberry plant, that the study of it has its own word: batology.

It’s a plant, sometimes referred to as a ‘weed’, we tend to love and hate in equal measure, depending on context.

The recurved thorns that arm its arching stems – serving as both a defence against browsers and as ‘grappling hooks’ – are the main reason for animosity.

However, they serve to protect more than the plant itself – they also act as a nursery for saplings, protecting them from the predations of browsing herbivores, such as deer, while also holding the nests of plenty of species of bird and mammal safe in their thorny arms.

The flowers are popular with a variety of pollinators and the highly palatable leaves, many of which remain through the winter months, are a vital salad to several species – from roe deer to bramble-mining moths, which leave wandering spirograph-like patterns.

A reason that lots of us can’t totally turn against it is the fruits – or, more accurately, the ‘drupes’.

Each one is actually a cluster of up to 50 individual ‘black berries’, called drupelets, which contain a tiny seed (the ones that get stuck between your teeth).

These sugar-and-vitamin parcels are the justification behind the only wild food foraging many of us do – the annual sport of ‘blackberrying’.

As well as a bounty for many birds and insects, badgers and foxes can over indulge in this seasonal bounty – as evidenced by the vast quantities of purple poo visible during the late summer months.

This Q&A originally appeared in BBC Wildlife, and was answered by Nick Baker.

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Bramble recipe ideas

How to make blackberry cordial

This blackberry cordial is easy to make and tastes divine; it has a deep, intense, fruity flavour.

How to make blackberry whisky and chocolate gateau

This delicious vegan blackberry and chocolate cake is decadent without being overly rich or sweet, making it practically impossible to stop at one slice.

How to make apple and blackberry crumble

This cinnamon-infused apple and blackberry crumble has a rich, golden oaty topping for a satisfying crunch. Serve it with ice cream or lashings of custard.

How to make blackberry pudding

One of the joys of autumn is to go ‘brambling’ in the country, and this blackberry pudding with crème de mûre and sticky toffee sauce is a great way to enjoy the harvest.

How to make bramble bàrr

This combination of crushed blackberries, whisky cream and blackberry and whisky syrup makes for a delightful dessert. Author Connieach MacLeod, aka The Hebridean Baker, shares his recipe for bramble bàrr from his book.

How to make bramble (blackberry) jam

Bramble jam is perfectly delicious on hot buttered toast, smeared onto scones or adding a dollop to flavour to yoghurt, ice cream or rice pudding.

How to make bramble (blackberry) whisky

Tiktok sensation and author Coinneach MacLeod, aka The Hebridean Baker, shares his recipe for making bramble whisky from his book.

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This is an edited extract from Wild and Sweet by Rachel Lambert, published by Hoxton Mini Press.

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