**Blackberry – A Nutrient-Rich Fruit with Numerous Varieties**
Blackberry, belonging to the Rubus genus within the Rosaceae family, is both a plant and a fruit. It is rich in organic acids, vitamins, and minerals, with over 400 natural or cultivated varieties. Due to the numerous places and regions where it grows, our country is rich in blackberries. It is used as a remedy for various health issues, making it possible to fi nd processed forms of blackberries. Blackberries, a fruit highly recommended by experts, are known for their use not only in their natural state but also in desserts and pastries, thanks to their tangy fl avor.
Blackberries are rich in tannins, pectin, magnesium, iodine, and vitamins A, C, E, K, and P. These beautiful fruits begin to bloom in May and start bearing fruit around June. Their fl owering continues from May to August. Blackberry stems are cylindrical with hollow prickly branches that initially grow upward and then bend downward. They usually vary in height from 1 to 3 meters and produce numerous blackberries on the vine. Harvesting blackberries is quite easy, and once they are fully ripe, they easily detach from the branch due to their soft texture.
There are many varieties of blackberries, and Turkey is rich in blackberry varieties.
Here are some of the most popular ones:
1. **Navaho Blackberry:** This variety has hard, black fruits that grow erect and are of medium size.
2. **Boysenberry Blackberry:** It has a color close to purple. It has good yields, but it takes a bit longer to ripen.
3. **Kıowa Blackberry:** This variety has large, blackish fruits, and it has an extended harvest period.
4. **Arapaho Blackberry:** Arapaho blackberries are long and large, with a delicious taste. They are among the most commonly consumed blackberries.
5. **Chester Blackberry:** Known for its intense aroma, this variety has cone-shaped fruits.
6. **Logan Blackberry:** This variety has a prickly structure and is not commonly consumed. It has a distinct red color.
Blackberries do not require special cultivation conditions or practices. They naturally form and develop in any suitable place and complete their growth with the contribution of nature. They generally grow in heathlands, thickets, roadsides, and garden hedges. Since they love plenty of water, you are likely to come across blackberries in rainy areas. They grow as vines and complete their development in this way. In Turkey, you can fi nd blackberries formed both as vines and trailing on the ground.
Blackberries generally favor warm climates but are also hardy during the winter months. Those who want to cultivate blackberries are therefore quite fortunate. Since they can easily adapt to all types of soil, blackberry growers can make a profi t without much diffi culty. However, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that blackberries prefer more fertile and older soil. Therefore, for the best cultivation of blackberries, the fertility of the soil should be taken into account.
Blackberries love water and often require a lot of watering during their growth. Since they reveal themselves more towards the end of spring and enter the fruiting phase, it is usually possible to fi nd more blackberry varieties in the summer months.
Every part of the blackberry plant, from its fruit to its root, provides valuable benefi ts to humans. The fruit is good for hemorrhoids, has diuretic properties, lowers blood pressure, and reduces swelling in the feet. It is also useful for mouth ulcers, throat infl ammation, tongue, and gum diseases. It can stop excessive vaginal discharge in women. The leaves of the blackberry plant have wound healing, pain-relieving properties and can be used as a poultice for burns and wounds. When the root is boiled and consumed as tea, it can lower elevated blood sugar levels and help eliminate bladder stones and gravel.