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Blackberries are a popular perennial shrub whose fruits turn black when ripe. However, its berries are similar in appearance to other crops. And in some cases, it is not immediately possible to determine which fruits are which. The blackberry-like berry can be either edible or poisonous. In order not to make a mistake with your choice, you need to consider all possible options.
Black berries, similar to blackberries, can differ radically in taste
Features of blackberries
Blackberries are a complex fruit consisting of numerous small fused drupes. Their shade changes during their development. Initially, the drupes are green, then turn red and darken when fully ripe.
The fruits have an elongated shape with a rounded tip. Their average weight ranges from 5-8 g, depending on the variety. The surface can be glossy or with a bluish coating. Drupes have juicy pulp and a sweet and sour taste. They are rich in vitamins B, C, A, and minerals.
What berries are similar to blackberries?
Collective black drupes are produced in several crops.And in order to be able to distinguish them from blackberries, you need to consider each fruit individually, and also pay attention to the appearance of the plant itself.
Chokeberry raspberry
The painstaking work of breeders led to the appearance of black-fruited raspberry species. The most common varieties are Cumberland and Ugolek. Both shrubs are highly resistant to frost and disease. Recommended for cultivation in central and northern regions.
Aronia raspberry drupes are edible, sweet, and have a round shape. Their color changes from pink to dark as they ripen. The fruits are small. Their average weight is 1.5-3 g. A distinctive feature is the easy separation of the drupes from the bed during ripening, and in blackberries they hold tightly when removed.
The shoots of chokeberry raspberries are gray-blue, covered with short hair
Mulberry
This is the name of a tree whose fruits are similar to blackberries. The berries are quite large, edible, oval-oblong in shape. Their length reaches 4-5 cm, depending on the variety. Another common name for a tree with blackberry-like berries is mulberry. There are varieties with black and white fruit shades. The birthplace of the first is Persia.
The mulberry tree reaches a height of 20 m. The leaves are hard, dark green, with jagged edges.
The black berry on the tree, similar to a blackberry, has a completely different taste. It is sweet, without a hint of sourness, and very juicy. Mulberry fruits are not separated from the stalk when harvested. The harvested crop is easily wrinkled, so it does not tolerate transportation and long-term fresh storage.
Mulberry is a heat-loving crop
Lakonos berry
This plant can rarely be found in Russia.North America is considered its homeland.
Lakonos berry is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Phytolacca family. Every year it produces several thickened, erect stems, 1.5 m high. The plant blooms at the end of May, and its inflorescences resemble hyacinths in appearance. And by the end of summer, large berries ripen on the laccone, similar to blackberries in structure and dark shade.
This culture is considered medicinal. In folk medicine, the white roots of the plant are used to relieve rheumatic pain. But the blackberry-like berries of the blackberry plant are considered poisonous. Their use leads to serious heart rhythm disturbances.
The fruit of milkweed berries remains bright red even when ripe.
Other berries similar to blackberries
Mora is also a fruit similar to blackberry. This plant is a close relative of the raspberry and belongs to the Rosaceae family. In nature, mora shrubs are common in the tropics of South America, Mexico, and Peru. But at the same time, they tolerate frost well and bear fruit at temperatures above +12 °C.
Important! The mora bush grows quickly and is capable of suppressing the development of neighboring plants.
The berries of this crop are small in size and have round, complex drupes. As they ripen, their color changes from red to black. The taste is sweet, with tartness, the flesh is juicy. Mora drupes are rich in ascorbic acid, calcium, and iron. The harvest can be consumed fresh and processed.
The mora bush begins to bear fruit in the year of planting
Raspberry berries are also similar to blackberries. This shrub cannot be found in nature, as it is a hybrid.The height of the plant reaches 2 m. The culture is undemanding to the composition of the soil and growing conditions, but does not tolerate stagnation of moisture at the roots.
The complex drupes of the raspberry are edible, sweet, juicy, and aromatic. Their average weight is 1.5-3 g. Color changes several times during the season. Initially it is green, then white, pink and finally black.
Ezhemalina is characterized by high productivity
Conclusion
The blackberry-like berry can be edible or poisonous. Therefore, you need to consume fruits with full confidence that they belong to the first category. Only in this case can you count on them being beneficial and not harmful to your health.
