{"id":19201,"date":"2022-08-08T08:00:10","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T06:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/?p=60746"},"modified":"2022-08-08T08:29:13","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T06:29:13","slug":"bramble-guide-how-to-identify-when-to-pick-blackberries-and-recipe-ideas","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/bramble-guide-how-to-identify-when-to-pick-blackberries-and-recipe-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"Bramble guide: how to identify, when to pick blackberries, and recipe ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Rachel Lambert\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 08 August 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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\u2018One for me, one for the pot\u2019 was the blackberry-picking rule I grew up with; each autumn, my family would head out armed with Tupperware to collect them from the patch of brambles across from our house. From sweet to sour, the flavour of blackberries varies immensely depending on the weather, time of year and the variety you\u2019re picking.<\/p>\n

Their small seeds are packed with omega 3 and 6 and plenty of fibre \u2013 so are worth taking time to chew. The fruits meanwhile are full of vitamins C and\u00a0K with note-worthy amounts of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, manganese and copper.<\/p>\n

Each variety produces a slightly different fruit; if you find a picking spot where they taste particularly delicious, it\u2019s worth remembering it to return to in future years. For, although the weather and soil influence their flavour, you may just have hit on the tastiest variety.<\/p>\n

Head over to our foraging hub<\/a>\u00a0for more foraging advice and recipe ideas, including an expert guide to sustainable foraging<\/a>,\u00a0how to make dandelion syrup (also known as dandelion honey)<\/a>, and how to make an autumnal wild berry cocktail<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Where are blackberries found?<\/h2>\n

Native to much of Europe and introduced in South Africa and South Korea as well as in parts of Australasia, many wild and cultivated varieties of blackberries thrive across the world.<\/p>\n

Hedgerows, woodlands, scrublands and urban wastelands.<\/p>\n

How to identify bramble and blackberries<\/h2>\n
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Blackberries. \u00a9 Fiona McAllister Photography\/Getty<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

When and how to pick blackberries<\/h2>\n
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Blackberries can be picked from late summer through to mid-autumn \u2013 the earlier ones tend to be better raw, the later good for cooking.<\/p>\n

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

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).<\/p>\n

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