Blackberry ... The blackberry is an edible fruit ("berry") produced by many species in the genus Rubus in the family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus Rubus, and hybrids between the subgenera Rubus and Idaeobatus. · Also known as bramble, brummel, and brambleberry, evidence of blackberry consumption can be found all the way back to the Iron Age, some 2,500 years ago, so it is logical to assume that blackberry history dates back over thousands of years. · Blackberries are part of the Genus Rubus and are thought to be native to temperate regions across the Northern Hemisphere. Historians believe they spread to other areas through colonization. · Blackberries were thought to be a part of the hunter-gatherers’ diets across the world, and many indigenous (including Native Americans) have eaten blackberries for centuries. One of the earliest known instances of humans enjoying blackberries is estimated to be from approximately 500 BC. · Blackberries are not a single species but belong to the Rubus genus, which encompasses hundreds of species, subspecies, and hybrids. These diverse plants independently evolved in multiple locations, contributing to the blackberry’s widespread distribution today. · It is hard to trace the exact origin since blackberries proliferate all over the globe, but it is likely the first were in Asia, North or South America or in Europe. Greeks and Romans used blackberries in medicine, and Native Americans used them for food, medicine and to dye animal skins. Blackberries were perceived by the ancient cultures as being a wild plant, and historical accounts for a backyard culture of blackberry bushes are few. The Greeks used the blackberry as a remedy for Gout, and the Romans made a tea from the leaves of the blackberry plant to treat various illnesses.
