The Pacific Northwest with its lush temperate climate is home to some of the most mouth-watering berry bushes. The Native Americans have a long tradition of picking and preserving and promoting the growth of these “nature’s candy” and with long summer days ahead of us, why not try your hand at picking wild berries? Prepare yourself for a productive and palatable adventure.

1. Salmonberry

Hummingbirds happily proclaim the first opening of the salmonberries’ (Rubus spectablilis) early bright pink blossoms in late February. Salmonberries typically ripen in late April to mid-June making it the first berry of the season. The fresh shoots cleaned of its prickly outer layer are harvested by many Native American groups (as well as by foodie foragers) and are reported to taste similar to asparagus when steamed.

Salmonberry (Rubus Spectablilis) — Salmonberry (Rubus Spectablilis)

The berries are loved by bears, birds, and children. They vary in color from orange to a deep red reminiscent of salmon eggs, which is where some believe the name came from. The flavors can also vary depending on the bush but are generally sweet with a slightly acidic aftertaste that can make the uninitiated wince. The berries are a drupelet shape, similar to raspberries and blackberries, which is a composite berry made of lots of seeds. They make great jams, jellies, and sauces for the more savory taste buds looking to dress up pork roasts and duck.

Somewhere near the mouth of the Duckabush River, there is rumored to be a hybrid variety to this rose cousin with showy double blossoms.

Look for this tall, bushy berry in shady areas near streams. Berries are often located higher on branches so if you are vertically challenged be sure to bring a stick with a crooked end, something to stand on, or an obligingly tall friend. Gloves and long sleeves are recommended because salmonberry thorns don’t give up their berry bounty without a fight.

2. Thimbleberry

The next ripe berry on the west coast is the sweetly tangy Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) which comes into fruit late June to early July. Thankfully thorn-less, this tall bush also has edible shoots in the early spring, adorned with delicate white flowers. The tender spring shoots are delicious peeled and dipped in sugar. Theses berries are also drupelet in shape, but the fleshy part is much thinner and the berry is hollow inside allowing the whole picked product to easily fit over the fingertip, just as a thimble would. The large soft maple-shaped leaves are covered in a fine hair and are known to be one of the best natural substitutes for toilet paper if you are ever stuck in the woods. Besides harvesting the stems, Native Americans would press and dry the berries into cakes for later use. These delicate berries are a little tricky to harvest since they have a tendency to fall off the branch when bumped, so be ready with your basket, bowl or baseball cap to catch the fruit.

3. Red Huckleberry

Although Red Huckleberries (Vaccinium parvifolium) start forming on the bush in early June, they don’t reach ambrosial ripeness until July, when the berry’s light blush changes to a tasty red. The bush and berry of the huckleberry are very similar to the domesticated blueberry. The Native American Salishan word for Red Huckleberry, t’əәxw (Twana dialect known amongst the Skokomish) or t’íxw(i) (Lushootseed dialect known amongst the Squaxin) both describe how it was traditionally picked with combs ‘to brush, sweep, [or] shake out’ the berries. Slightly sour to taste, these berries do well in jams and pies.

4. Salal

Facing warm sunny locations, along shorelines, roadsides and trails is the prolific Salal (Gaultheria Shallon). Popular amongst florists as a filler since the 1940s, this cut green is a huge industry and is actively gathered by permitted commercial harvesters in the Olympic National Forest. The dark-purpley/black berries ripen in August, once the sticky white bell-shaped flowers have been pollinated. The berries form on the branch in a way similar to grapes. Children find the berries fun to play with as their round shape can be squeezed to form a star. Packed with antioxidants, flavonoids, and up to five times more tannins than blueberries, these sweet, slightly mealy berries are a newly re-discovered superfood. A little goes a long way with these black beauties, as these berries are a natural hunger suppressant. Salal’s health benefits have long been reported by Native Americans up and down the coast who would traditionally press and dry these berries into cakes or fruit leathers. Jams and jellies are the most popular way to process salal berries now and it really does taste like a good medicine when you spread it on your toast. Salal berries aren’t guarded by nasty thorns, but they do release a dark pigment, that can be used as a natural dye, but also can irreparably stain clothes, so dress accordingly before harvesting. Another difficulty with salal is the way in which the berries firmly attach to their branch. I usually pick the whole branch and clean them when I get to a table or flat area.

Jelly and jam makers often combine the sweet flavour of the Salal with the tangy, sour of the Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) another August (to September) fruit.

5. Oregon Grape

You probably won’t be eating these on the trail because they are pretty unpalatable raw… but if you have the opportunity to gather and reduce over a stove, Oregon grape is a great addition to your jelly repertoire. Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium), the state flower of Oregon, grows on a three-five-foot tall bush that has large sharply, serrated green to red leaves reminiscent of holly. The berry matures from a bright yellow flower, changing in color from green, yellow, red, purple before ripening to a pale chalky blue.

Oregon grape is a quintessential bitter plant that has the capacity to cleanse, clarify, and enliven body and spirit. The berries themselves, though perfectly edible are bitterly sour and don’t release their deliciousness until a sweetener is added and the berries are cooked into a syrup or jelly. Oregon Grape syrup makes a lovely addition to ice cream and vodka or gin cocktails.

6. Evergreen Huckleberry

This thick and bushy shrub can be found in gravelly sandy soils, nestled in coniferous forests.

The Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) begins to ripen in early autumn but they can still be seen on the bushes until December. You can spot the tight clusters of small flowers which are white to pink in color. As the small berry ripens it is a black and shiny or occasionally a dusty blue. Once you harvest your evergreen huckleberries expect a sweet and slightly dry taste. The berries are slightly seedy but have a unique refreshing flavor.

7. Oval-leaved Blueberry

Oval-leaved Blueberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium)

These berries can be found in moist coniferous forests and along shaded stream banks. Oval-leaved blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium) are around 4 feet tall shrubs with thin leaves which are oval in shape and are rounded at the ends. The pinkish flowers appear before the leaves mature and are solitary. The flavorful blueberries ripen in July and are of good size and very flavorful. Ova-leaved blueberries are dark blue and are covered in a waxy coating causing them to look gray and moldy in appearance.

8. Himalayan Blackberry

Himalayan blackberry is a semi-evergreen shrub that can grow nearly 10 feet high. The plump purple/blue berries ripen in late summer. Although Rubus armeniacus is an invasive species and is an aggressive contender against the natural species, it is a great berry to enjoy on the trail.

Rubus_bifrons_-_Botanischer_Garten,_Frankfurt_am_Main_-_DSC02472.JPG

Himalayan blackberry plants can produce up to 13,000 seeds per square meter, and seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years. The plant creates dense thickets that are impassable and sprawls over surrounding vegetation.

Check out Pojar and Mackinnon’s definitive classic Plants of the Pacific Northwest (2004) to find out more. The internet also has many great sources, such as the Burke Herbarium Image Collection and Dana Kelley Bressette’s Pacific Northwest plant encyclopedia.

8 berries to be ATE on the trail