You might think that the main difference between blackberries and raspberries is color, but that's not the case. Blackberries are red when unripe. There are also two types of raspberries: red and black. You might mistake black raspberries for blackberries. So how do you tell them apart? That's how!
Steps
Step 1. Look for the stalk
Both raspberries and blackberries are aggregated fruits made up of many small balls that contain a seed, held together by microscopic hairs. The balls form on the outside of a core, or stalk.
- When you pick a raspberry, it separates from the stalk, which remains on the plant. In blackberries, on the other hand, the stalk breaks at the point where it connects to the stem and remains inside the fruit.
-
When you harvest a ripe blackberry, the stem that remains is clean and flat, and the blackberry has a fluffy white center on the inside. The blackberry is not hollow.
Tell Raspberries and Blackberries Apart Step 2 Step 2. Look at the shape of the raspberry
If you're looking at a red raspberry, it could be a ripe red raspberry or an unripe black raspberry.
- Red raspberries tend to have a more oblong shape (similar to that of blackberries). Most cultivated raspberries are of this type. The stalk is quite wide.
-
Black raspberries are more rounded, hemispherical and not oblong in shape. The stalk is very small, but you can understand that it is a raspberry because the berry will be hollow.
Tell Raspberries and Blackberries Apart Step 3 Step 3. Consider the time of year
The black and red raspberries ripen in July, even the exact period can vary according to the geographical area of cultivation. Blackberries ripen slightly later than raspberries. There may be times when the two maturations coincide.
Tell Raspberries and Blackberries Apart Step 4 Step 4. Inspect the plant
Plants look a lot alike, especially in the eyes of an inexperienced person. Both have reeds, that is, long stems that rise directly from the ground. They have thorns and similar leaves. But if you look closely, you will notice some differences between the three types.
- The branches of the red raspberry are not as tall as those of blackberries. Red raspberry plants reach 1.5m in height. When the stem comes out of the ground it is light green. The stems have more thorns than those of blackberries, but they are hair-like thorns and not as large and pointed as those of roses.
-
The branches of the black raspberry plant are shorter than those of the red raspberry and bend towards the ground.
- The stem has a very pale, almost blue color, which fades when rubbed. The thorns are a cross between those of the red raspberry and the blackberry, both in number and in size.
-
The branches of the blackberry plant are large and tough and can reach 3m in height. The stems are green, and the thorns are large, similar to those of roses.
Tell Raspberries and Blackberries Apart Intro Step 5. Finished
Advice
- There are many types of cultivated raspberries, including golden raspberries (yellow-orange when ripe) and fall raspberries (red or dark red, ripening in the fall).
- There are many other berries that resemble raspberries and blackberries, such as Marionberry, Boysenberry, Loganberry, Youngberry, Dewberry, Salmonberry, and Wineberry. There are probably others. Some of these grow on branches, others on the ground.
- There are varieties of blackberries without thorns.
Warnings
- If you've never picked wild berries before, you should get help from someone more experienced.
- Wild berries grow on fallow land. Less pleasant things also inhabit those areas, such as poison ivy, nettle, snakes, etc. Beware of hidden dangers.
- Blackberries, when not very ripe, can be quite bitter!
- Blackberry branches have large thorns and you could get injured if you step inside a bush.
- The blackberry plants along the public roads are sprinkled with herbicides. Only harvest blackberries from plants that you know are safe.
