Penelope B. and Pacific Northwest Blackberries. // The Boling Family, Peer Wild.

Penelope B. picking blackberries along the beaches of Gig Harbor, Washington.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, you will encounter three types of blackberries: Rubus armeniacus, Rubus laciniatus and Rubus ursinus.

Only one of them is native to Washington.

The native species, Rubus ursinus has small and slender stems to pair with its delicate leaves.

The berries are smaller, sweeter, and harder to find due to the over-abundance of the non-native species, Rubus armeniacus, Rubus laciniatus.

This time of the year in Washington, you could potentially live off of blackberries for the next month or two.

I incorporate them into my smoothie routine and experiment with all sorts of recipes, especially with salmon.

It’s a family past-time to collect berries together along our local Gig Harbor beaches. A tradition I began back in 2013.

Nature brings our family together and it always will. ♥️