Preserving fruits: Wild berries and fruits

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Oregon beaches, mountains and woods are filled with many wild berries and fruits. Some of these are edible; others should be avoided. Many of these wild berries and fruits make delicious jams, jellies and pies.

Not all wild fruits are safe to eat or preserve, and a mistaken identification can lead to severe illness in some cases. Always be sure you know what you are picking and consult with horticultural guides if in doubt. There are many edible plant books available in bookstores and libraries to help you decide whether a fruit, berry or plant is safe to eat. Reminder: watch young children to be sure they show you what they pick before they taste.

Some wild fruits are of cultural significance to Tribal nations in Oregon, and many wild edibles have been overharvested. For these reasons, harvesting of sensitive fruits is often restricted or allowed by permit only. Before you set out to gather wild fruits, you should also check with the property owner where you plan to pick or check the local ordinances if you are gathering on public lands.

Some of the more popular native berries and fruits are listed below along with suggestions for use.

Edible wild berries and fruits

Blackberries

Wild blackberries (Rubus spp.) are among the most plentiful wild berries in Oregon, and several varieties are either native or naturalized. All varieties are suitable for making juices, jellies, jams, syrups and pies. They can also be frozen or canned for later use.

Trailing blackberries (Rubus ursinus) grow along the coastal mountains and are the only blackberry native to Oregon. These are very tart and flavorful. They make great pies, jams and jellies. These are the first of the blackberries to ripen.

Himalayan blackberries (Rubus armeniacus) are the next to ripen and the most plentiful. These berries are medium in size, purple black when ripe and very mild in taste. They grow along roadways and flat canals in western Oregon and along the coast. Because they are considered a nuisance species by many property owners, Himalayan blackberries are often treated with herbicides. Only pick in areas where you are certain they have not been recently treated.

Evergreen blackberries (Rubus laciniatus) are the last of the blackberries to ripen and have a distinctive cut leaf shape. The berries are similar to the Himalayan but are milder in flavor and firmer. The bushes are very thorny and the fruit very seedy.

Oregon grape

Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) is the berry produced from Oregon’s bright yellow state flower. It grows on an evergreen shrub with holly-shaped leaves. The flavor of the dark blue berries is quite tart when eaten raw, but the berry can be made into excellent jams and jellies. Berries from both the high and low growing varieties are suitable for preserving.

Salal

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) is an evergreen shrub that grows wild along the coastal range and in many gardens. The salal berry is a sweet, black berry that ripens in late July or early August. It is often used in pies, jams, jellies, and syrups. Salal berries can be mixed with Oregon Grape to make flavorful jams and jellies.

Elderberries

Blue Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) is a small, native shrub ranging in size from 7 to 15 feet. The light blue berries of this native variety develop a powdery bloom on the skin when ripe. Elderberries are often used to make wine, syrups, jams and jellies, but there are several safety considerations preservers should keep in mind.

Toxicity caution: All parts of the elderberry shrub contain toxic compounds called cyanogenic glycosides that can cause severe illness if eaten raw. Fortunately, cooking the berries or juice eliminates this risk. Ripe elderberries and elderberry juice are safe to consume if they are cooked before serving.

Canning Caution: While the native Blue Elderberry is safe for canning using standard boiling water canning recipes for high acid fruit, not all varieties of elderberry are acidic enough. The European Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. nigra) and the American Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis), have a pH too high for safely preserving with standard home canning recipes. These two varieties are easily distinguished from the lighter colored native Blue Elderberry because they have berries that are dark purple when ripe. Freezing these dark purple berries is a safe alternative, or you may can using specially formulated high sugar recipes found in the publication linked below.

Red Elderberry Caution: The fruit of the Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) should not be eaten. The bright red fruits potentially contain higher levels of toxic compounds than other elderberry varieties.

For further information on preserving elderberries, please see EM 9446 Play it safe when preserving elderberries.

Huckleberries

Huckleberries (Vaccinium spp.) are mainly found in the Cascades and in low mountains near the coast. Oregon huckleberry varieties are closely related to the domestic blueberry, and they are similar in flavor. Huckleberries can be used in place of blueberries in recipes for cooking or preserving. They make excellent pies, jams, jellies, and syrups and are also great in muffins, breads, and pancakes. There are several different varieties of huckleberries, each growing in different conditions and producing differently sized and colored berries, from bright red to dark purple.

Over-picking caution: Because huckleberries have been overharvested in some areas, they are now protected on public lands. Always check to see if permits are required in your location before gathering huckleberries, and do not use rakes or mechanical harvesters that may damage the delicate shrubs. Please limit huckleberry harvesting to what you will personally use in order to allow future generations to enjoy this fruit.

Other fruit and berries

Bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxcoccos) is a small dark red berry that is found in bogs and sandy areas along the coast. It can be used in sauces and breads.

Wild plums (Prunus spp.) are found in the valley and some southern and eastern Oregon counties. Their color ranges from yellow to a deep reddish purple. They are especially good for jellies, jams, and juices.

Wild currants (Ribes spp.) are found along streams and other moist areas in the Cascades or along the foothills to the coastal range. These berries make great jellies, jams, syrups, and pies.

Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis) are of the same family as the blackberry. They grow on shrubs in the woodlands and are usually the first of the berries to ripen. The salmonberries range in color from orange to red and look like a raspberry. They are very juicy but lack the rich flavor of raspberries. They are best eaten fresh.

Thimbleberries (Rubus parviflorus) are similar in appearance to raspberries, but the berries are shorter and broader across the base. They grow on shrub-like bushes that have hairy leaves but no thorns. Thimbleberries are quite seedy and are best eaten fresh.

Jams and jellies with wild berries and fruits

Processing instructions for canned jams and jellies

Because the processing time is less than 10 minutes for jams and jellies, use pre-sterilized jars for these products. To sterilize, place jars right side up on a rack in a boiling water canner. Fill the canner and jars with hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Boil jars for 10 minutes.

Prepare the jam or jelly following the recipe instructions and process in a boiling water canner for the time listed in the processing chart below, making necessary adjustments for canning at higher elevations.

Recommended processing time for jam or jelly in a boiling water canner. Process time for hot packed half-pint or pint jars at elevations of:

• 0 - 1,000 ft: 5 minutes
• 1,001 - 6,000 ft: 10 minutes
• Above 6,000 ft: 15 minutes

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Salal and Oregon grape jelly

• 1 quart red salal berries
• ⅓ cup Oregon grape berries
• 1¼ cups water
• Sugar
• Lemon juice

Wash berries and place in large kettle; crush berries with a potato masher; add water and simmer slowly for 5 minutes or until soft. Let juice drip through a dampened jelly bag.

Measure juice. For each 1 cup of juice, add 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Boil rapidly until jelly sheets from a metal spoon.

Skim well; pour into hot, sterilized jars. Leave ¼” headspace. Adjust lids and process following recommendations in the table above.

After processing, take the canner off heat. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Salal jelly

• Prepare salal juice as in the Salal and Oregon Grape Jelly recipe above.
• Measure salal juice and add an equal amount of tart apple juice. Bring juice mixture to a boil.
• Add 1 cup sugar for each cup of juice mixture and let boil until jelly sheets from a metal spoon.
• Pour into hot, sterilized jars. Leave ¼” headspace. Adjust lids and process half-pint jars following recommendations in the table above.
• After processing, take the canner off heat. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Oregon grape jelly

• Select firm ripe Oregon grapes. Wash, leaving on stems. Place in large preserving kettle, covering with water. Boil 10 minutes, then mash and boil 5 minutes longer. Drain through jelly bag.
• Measure juice into large preserving kettle and boil 10 minutes.
• Add ¾ cup of sugar for every cup of juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil rapidly until it sheets from a spoon.
• Remove from heat, skim at once, and pour into hot, sterilized jars. Leave ¼” headspace. Adjust lids and process half pint jars following recommendations in the table above.
• After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

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Blackberry, huckleberry and wild plum jam or jelly

The instruction sheets in commercial pectin packages give good recipes for making jams or jellies from some wild fruits.

• For huckleberry varieties, use blueberry recipes.
• For wild plums, use recipes for sour cherries.
• For wild blackberry varieties, use standard blackberry recipes.

For additional information on preserving wild berries and fruits, and juice extraction methods refer to SP50-780 Preserving berries.

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