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Boysenberries may not be native to Oklahoma, but they definitely flourish here. Tom Stewart
Indian Territory is home to many native and wild berries, fruit trees, nut trees, and a multitude of edible plants but today the spotlight is on the boysenberry. Boysenberries may not exactly be a native Indian Territory plant, but they certainly are growing wild all over Oklahoma. They really seem to like Southern Oklahoma.
Did you know the boysenberry is a cross between raspberry, blackberry, American dewberry, and a logan berry? One might refer to the boysenberry as a muttberry.
The fact that it is a hybrid may have a lot to do with the boysenberry’s ability to flourish throughout Oklahoma giving the weather extremities from drought to freezing temps. A major factor in the plant’s abundance is that the plant uses self-pollination, meaning the boysenberry is both male and female.
The origin of the boysenberry is from a cultivator named Rudolph Boysen from Anaheim, Calif. who obtained the parent dewberry-loganberry plant from a farmer named John Lubben in early 1900. Boysen then crossed the plant with a European blackberry and a raspberry.
The farm of Boysen was abandoned, and according to Wikipedia, a cutting of the remaining plants was obtained by Walter Knotts. Knotts cultivated the plant on his farm in Buena Park, Calif. and brought it to a commercial market.
Knott is the famous Knotts Berry jellies and jams. Of course, this is a story and a theory. We may never know the true origin of the Oklahoma boysenberry, but one thing is for sure it is alive, well, and growing wild.
The boysenberries in this part have long been a staple base for cobblers and pies and well sought after in early summer. Some of the early written accounts of the natives who were relocated to Indian territory state that they observed fruits and vegetables growing wild and free in the underbrush on vines across the territory.
Whether native or not, the boysenberries are here and plentiful, so put on your long sleeve shirt, slide on some gloves, and start hunting. Boysenberries seem to prefer to grow on a hillside or creekside somewhat close to water.
One strong precaution to keep in mind when it comes to picking boysenberries is they love bad company. This means they often grow alongside of poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac. It often has a tenant of the slivery kind. Yes, snakes often dwell in the vines hoping to catch a bird, mouse, or other insects.
When you harvest more than you eat, a great way to save the boysenberry is to freeze them. The berries also make wonderful pies, cobblers, jellies, jams, and of course are perfect in ice cream or cottage cheese.
If you get a chance, get out and harvest some boysenberries, you will discover there one of the simple delights that nature in southern Oklahoma has to offer. Don’t forget to look around while you are hunting boysenberries as wild plums are mature about the same time as boysenberries.
The boysenberries are easy to identify as they are reddish purple. My hunting dog Georgie and I had a great harvest this past weekend getting a gallon bucket in about 20 minutes, no snakes, and so far no itching but we can certainly smell a cobbler cooking.