Raspberry-blackberry hybrids also known as bramble hybrids offer some of the most scrumptious and unique berry flavors and textures. While raspberries and blackberries are common fruits that most people are familiar with, when these two are cross-pollinated, new and exciting hybrid berries emerge. In this article, we’ll explore the origins, flavors, uses and popular varieties of these tasty raspberry-blackberry crosses.
A Brief History of Crossbreeding Berries
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, horticulturists and amateur berry enthusiasts began intentionally crossbreeding different types of berries in the Rosaceae family. They were seeking to develop new varieties that combined the best traits of both parent plants – the flavor of one and the size, hardiness or yield of the other.
The first documented raspberry-blackberry cross was the loganberry, accidentally bred in 1881 in Santa Cruz, California. Judge J.H. Logan had planted a blackberry next to a red raspberry, and they cross-pollinated naturally. Later crosses were more intentional, like the olallieberry in Oregon and the tayberry in Scotland.
Popular Raspberry-Blackberry Hybrids
Some of the most popular and delicious fruits that are raspberry-blackberry hybrids include
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Loganberries – A cross between a blackberry and a raspberry, with a deep red raspberry color but the size of a blackberry. They taste like a mix of both fruits – a little tart yet sweet and complex.
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Tayberries – Developed in Scotland in the 1970s, tayberries are a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry They are very juicy and offer a lovely balance of sweetness and tartness.
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Boysenberries – Boysenberries, developed in California in the 1920s, are a complex cross between various berries including blackberries, raspberries, loganberries, and dewberries. They are large, juicy, and wonderfully sweet-tart.
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Olallieberries – Originated in Oregon in the 1950s. A cross between loganberries and youngberries (another raspberry-blackberry hybrid), they offer a bold berry flavor with notes of blackberry and red wine.
How Do Hybrid Berries Taste?
One of the best parts of hybrid berries is their unique flavors. Often you get a mix of the sweetness of raspberries with the deeper, more complex “berry” taste of blackberries. They tend to be quite juicy and balanced between tart and sweet.
Compared to their raspberry and blackberry parents, these hybrids often offer more intense berry flavor along with added complexity. The specific flavors depend on the variety, ranging from vinous olallieberries to extremely sweet boysenberries.
Using Raspberry-Blackberry Hybrid Berries
These special berries shine in baked goods, jams, compotes, and fresh eating. Their natural pectin makes them excellent pie fillings – they hold their shape without needing much added sugar. Jams and jellies also gel easily thanks to the pectin.
For fresh eating, be gentle as these hybrids can be delicate. Let their unique flavors shine by simply sweetening with a little sugar and serving over ice cream or yogurt. Freeze extras to use later in smoothies.
While not as common as standard blackberries or raspberries, keep an eye out for these special hybrids at farmers markets and specialty grocers. Their tantalizing flavors make them worth seeking out. When you find these complex raspberry-blackberry crosses, grab them and make something delicious!
Growing Your Own Raspberry-Blackberry Hybrids
If you want to grow your own raspberry-blackberry hybrids at home, some top options include:
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Loganberries – These are actually quite easy to grow in most climates. Provide full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Expect harvests in mid-summer.
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Boysenberries – Boysenberry plants need similar conditions to loganberries but tend to be larger and even more prolific. You may need to trellis them.
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Tayberries – Tayberries can handle cooler climates but need full sun. They produce heavily in mid-summer on second-year canes.
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Olallieberries – Best suited for mild coastal climates. Provide moist, rich soil and expect harvests in early summer. You’ll likely need to trellis them.
With proper care, you can harvest bushels of large, juicy hybrid berries from your own backyard! Just be sure to provide plenty of sun, fertile soil, ample water, and pruning/trellising as needed.
The Best Raspberry-Blackberry Hybrid Berries
If you’re looking to try growing or cooking with these special hybrids, some top variety recommendations include:
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Loganberries – ‘Lyon’ is an excellent quality variety that produces high yields.
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Boysenberries – Look for ‘Boysen’ or ‘Black Diamond’ boysenberries. Both offer classic boysenberry flavor.
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Tayberries – ‘Buckingham’ is a popular thornless tayberry cultivar suited to home gardens.
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Olallieberries – ‘Early Black’ is a heavy yielding olallieberry suited to warmer climates.
Huckleberries
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Flavor: These sweet-tart flavor-packed berries are somewhat comparable to blueberry but more woodsy, almost vinous. Season: Early to mid fall. Uses: Huckleberries are great in pancakes; just add them in as you would blueberries. Theyre also excellent in scones, since theyre nice and sturdy. If you want to go savory, cook huckleberries with just a little bit of sugar and serve with roasted meat.
When I was a kid a family friend made a yearly pilgr to a thicket of particularly delicious huckleberries in Point Reyes, CA. He kept the location top secret, but I dont think he would have had much competition, anyway; he came back from foraging every year with a raging case of poison oak. He claimed the huckleberry buckle was more than worth it.
Huckleberries are a smooth, round berry that ranges in color from red to dark blue. Theyre almost easier to forage than to find at the market (if you can avoid the poison oak, that is.) Huckleberries played such a large part in the cuisine of the Plateau Native Americans (Idaho, Montana, and Washington) that there still are festivals to celebrate the first harvest—dried huckleberries sustained native populations through long cold winters.
One difference between huckleberries and blueberries is the presence of seeds; blueberry seeds are so small that they youd never know there were there. Huckleberry seeds are a little bit larger, though you dont need to spit them out or worry about separating them out for cooking- theyre entirely edible.
Loganberries
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Flavor: Loganberries taste a little like a raspberry and a little like a blackberry. Very flavorful and slightly tart. Season: Midsummer. Uses: You can use these berries wherever youd use blackberries: They shine in jams, galettes, and muffins.
Legend has it that the loganberry was accidentally created in the late 1800s in Santa Cruz, California, in the backyard of Judge J.H. Logan. Judge Logan planted an heirloom blackberry and a European raspberry next to each other. They cozied up, and with a little help from the birds and the bees the plants cross-pollinated.
Loganberries have a deep red raspberry color and the size and texture of a blackberry. The vines, which lack the substantial thorns of a blackberry, have dark green fuzzy leaves. The berries retain their cores (like blackberries do) but the flavor is somewhere in between: like a brambly raspberry or a softer blackberry.
Tayberry Tasting | cross between blackberry and red raspberry ✂
FAQ
What is a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry?
The Tayberry, a blackberry/raspberry cross, is probably the best known and most successful hybrid berry. It was first bred in Scotland in the 1970s and named after the nearby River Tay.Sep 27, 2022
Can you eat tayberries?
Tayberries can be a little tart, but use them as you would blackberries and raspberries. They work well in cooked dishes such as pies, or in fruit sauces, jams and jellies. They can also be added to uncooked desserts such as summer pudding, ice cream or sorbet.
What is a raspberry combination with a blackberry?
Loganberry ‘Ly 654’
Cross between a Raspberry and Blackberry. The thornless clone of the best known of the hybrid berries. Delicious cone-shaped berries have a pleasant sharpness.
Do loganberries taste good?
Flavor: Loganberries taste a little like a raspberry and a little like a blackberry. Very flavorful and slightly tart. Season: Midsummer. Uses: You can use these berries wherever you’d use blackberries: They shine in jams, galettes, and muffins.