– History:
– Boysenberry origins traced to Rudolph Boysen from John Lubben’s farm
– George M. Darrow of USDA tracked down Boysen’s berry in Anaheim
– Walter Knott helped Darrow find and cultivate Boysen’s abandoned vines
– Knott commercially cultivated boysenberries in Southern California
– Boysenberries gained popularity leading to Knott’s Berry Farm
– Cultivars:
– Hybrid variety Newberry or Ruby Boysen developed since 2007
– Hybrid variety Silvanberry with marionberry in Australia
– Silvanberry plants are long living, hardy, and productive
– Silvanberry is classified under the blackberry family
– Silvanberry plants are easy to grow and cold tolerant
– Characteristics:
– Boysenberries grow on low, trailing plants
– Boysenberries have soft texture, thin skins, and sweet-tart flavor
– Mature boysenberries easily leak juice and decay quickly
– Boysenberries are primarily processed into various products
– New Zealand is the largest producer and exporter of boysenberries
– References:
– Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission provides technical data on boysenberries
– The New Oxford Book of Food Plants mentions boysenberries
– Los Angeles Times article on boysenberries as a California treasure
– Information on Oregon boysenberries from the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission
– Book “Temperate Fruit Crop Breeding” discusses boysenberries
– Miscellaneous:
– Boysenberries were grown on Boysen’s farm in Anaheim, California
– Boysenberries were first commercially cultivated by Walter Knott
– Boysenberries gained popularity leading to the growth of Knott’s Berry Farm
– Boysenberries faced decline due to cultivation challenges and diseases
– New Zealand became the largest producer and exporter of boysenberries by 2016
The boysenberry /ˈbɔɪzənbɛri/ is a cross between the European raspberry (Rubus idaeus), European blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), American dewberry (Rubus aboriginum), and loganberry (Rubus × loganobaccus).
| Rubus ursinus × R. idaeus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Boysenberries in various stages of development | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Tribe: | Rubeae |
| Genus: | Rubus |
| Subgenus: | |
| Species: | |
It is a large 8.0-gram (0.28 oz) aggregate fruit, with large seeds and a deep maroon color.