Skip to Content

Boysenberry

« Back to Glossary Index

– 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

Boysenberry (Wikipedia)

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 Edit this 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.

« Back to Glossary Index