Sawtooth Blackberry – Rubus argutus

Sawtooth blackberry is also called southern or Highbush blackberry. The plant occurs in southeastern North America where it is the most common blackberry. It is a native fruiting bramble that produces delicious fruit and is in the rose family. Blackberries are perennial plants but they have biennial canes. The first year canes are called primocanes and do not produce fruit. The second year cane is called a floricane and flowers and fruits.
Alaska blackberry is a spiny vine that produces a tangle of long stems of 5 to 8 feet. Stems tend to jumble together and create a thicket. Stems are stout and covered in sharp prickles. Leaves are palmately compound and divided into 3 to 5 leaflets. First year leaves are larger than those on the floricane. Flowers are white with 5 petals and long brownish red stamen. The berries are blackish blue and are actually aggregate fruit composed of numerous drupelets.
Blackberries are different from raspberries in more than color. Raspberries leave behind the torus, or core-like structure that attaches the fruit to the stem, when plucked. Blackberries retain the torus.
Blackberries are important food sources for animals and wild birds. The fruit is also popular fresh, make into jams or jellies and as pies and other dessert items.

Descriptions

• Seedlings - No information.
• Stems - Thick, long, fast growing, covered in prickles
• Leaves - Green, palmately compound, serrated edges
• Flowers - 5 petals, pronounced stamen
• Fruits - Aggregate fruit
• Seeds - No information.
• Roots - No information.

Plant Details

• Type - Perennial
• USDA Zones - No information.
• Flower Colors - White
• Plant Height - 8.2 feet
• Plant Width - No information.
• Bloomtime Period - Spring
• Native Habitat - Southeastern United States
• Toxicity and allergic reactions - No information.
• What Parts Toxic - No information.
• Toxic to humans - No information.
• Toxic to cats - No information.
• Toxic to dogs - No information.
• Edible - Yes
• Edible Parts - Berries
• Spacing - No information.
• Planting Depth - No information.
• Invasive - No information.
• Special Features - No information.

Growing Information

• Light Requirement - Full sun
• Soil Requirements - Well Draining
• Care Information - No information.
• Propagation Methods - Bare Root, Cutting, Seeds,
• Harvest Information - No information.
• Seed Collection Information - No information.
• Pruning - No information.
• Common Pests - No information.
• Common Diseases - No information.
• Landscape Uses - Edible

Facts & Trivia