What Does a Boysenberry Tree Look Like?
A cross between a blackberry, raspberry and loganberry, the boysenberry grows on woody canes with large, abundant thorns. According to Garden Guides, the leaves of boysenberry foliage are a bluish-green color, and they are smooth on the surface with serrated edges. When growing in the wild, boysenberries typically grow in thick tangles, and they are considered an invasive species in many areas of the United States.
Garden Guides explains that the flowers of the boysenberry are white, with five petals and a burst of stamen and pistils in the center of the flower. Flowers typically begin showing in early spring in most parts of the United States. Boysenberries are a self-pollinating fruit, meaning they have both the male and female reproductive parts present on the flower, states Garden Guides.
Once flowers fade, boysenberries are identifiable by their fruit, which grows in an aggregate of drupelets around a large central seed. Before ripening, boysenberries are green in color and hard. The fruit grows to about 1 inch in length. Once ripening begins, the berries soften and change colors. Based on the variety, boysenberries can range from a reddish-purple color to nearly black. Because boysenberries have such pervasive thorns, it is important to wear gloves and protective clothing when working with them.
