Olallieberry facts for kids

Olallieberry pie in Pescadero, California

The olallieberry (pronounced OH-lə-lee-berr-ee) is a special type of blackberry. It is a hybrid berry, meaning it was created by crossing two different berry plants. This tasty berry is known for its sweet and slightly tart flavor. It is often used in pies, jams, and other delicious treats. You might also see it spelled as ollalieberry or olallaberry.

How the Olallieberry Was Created

The olallieberry was developed from two parent plants. One parent was a blackberry called 'Black Logan'. The other parent was a berry called the youngberry.

The Parent Berries

The 'Black Logan' blackberry was created by Judge James Logan in California. It came from crossing an eastern blackberry called 'Crandall' with a western dewberry called 'Aughinbaugh'.

The youngberry was developed by Byrnes M. Young. It was a cross between 'Phenomenal' and 'Austin Mayes' berries. The 'Phenomenal' berry itself was a cross of the 'Aughinbaugh' western dewberry and a red raspberry called 'Cuthbert'. This means the youngberry has a similar background to another famous berry, the loganberry.

Growing and Developing the Olallieberry

The first cross to create the olallieberry happened in 1935. A scientist named George Waldo made this cross. He worked for the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). He led a program that bred new types of blackberries. This program was a team effort between the USDA-ARS and Oregon State University.

Testing and Release

After the first cross, the new berry was selected in 1937. It was tested in Oregon, Washington, and California. During testing, it was known as "Oregon 609." Finally, in 1950, it was officially named "Olallie" and released for people to grow.

Olallieberry's Famous Offspring

The olallieberry itself became a parent to another very famous berry. In the 20th century, the olallieberry was crossed with the Chehalem blackberry. This cross created the Marion blackberry, often called the Marionberry. The Marionberry is so popular that a pie made with it was named the official state pie of Oregon in 2017!

Olallieberry in Culture

The name "Olallie" has a special meaning. It means "berry" in the Chinook Jargon. This was a language used by Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest.

Olallie Lake

There is a place in Oregon called Olallie Lake. It is located in Oregon's Cascade Range. This lake was named after the Chinook word for berry. This is because many berries grow in that area.

See also

In Spanish: Olallieberry para niños