Rubus ursinus – trailing blackberry
Common Name
trailing blackberry
Family
Rosaceae
Scientific Name
Rubus ursinus
Alternate Scientific Name
- California blackberry, Pacific trailing blackberry
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
- Moderately Dry (MD)
- Medium (M)
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)
- Medium (M)
Video link
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual © 1973. Reprinted with permission of the University of Washington Press.
Photo Gallery
General / Habitat
- Common on disturbed sites, thickets, and open forests
- Low to middle elevations
Key Identifying Characteristics
- Form: Trailing (grows flat on the ground, but doesn’t put down roots), curved prickles
- Leaves: Pinnately compound. 3 leaves, dark green and toothed, terminal leaflet often 3-lobed
- Flower: White or pinkish flowers up to 4 cm across in clusters borne on leaf axils, dioecious (male plants and female plants)
- Fruit: Black blackberries up to 1 cm long, edible and extremely tasty
Lookalikes
- Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
- Leaves 5-lobed on vegetative shoots (3-lobed on floral shoots)
- salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) when small
Interesting Characteristics
- Only native blackberry in coastal BC
External References
Sources
Douglas, G.W. et al (Editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Volumes 1 to 8. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 2014. Plants of Coastal British Columbia Including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. B.C. Ministry of Forestry and Lone Pine Publishing. Vancouver, B.C.