Showy blackberry facts for kids
Rubus elegantulus, also known as the showy blackberry, is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the rose family, which includes many plants you might know, like roses, apples, and strawberries! This plant is not very common. It grows in certain parts of North America.
Quick facts for kids Showy blackberry |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Rubus
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| Species: |
elegantulus
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| Synonyms | |
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Discover the Showy Blackberry
The showy blackberry is a plant that stands upright. It can grow to be about 2 to 4 feet tall. That's like 30 to 120 centimeters! This plant has small, sharp points called prickles. But it does not have any soft hairs.
Where It Grows
You can find the showy blackberry in the northeastern and north-central parts of the United States. This includes states like Maine, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. It also grows in eastern Canada, in places like Québec, Newfoundland, and the three Maritime Provinces.
What It Looks Like
The leaves of the showy blackberry are shaped like a hand. They have five separate parts, which are called leaflets. The top side of the leaves is a little darker than the bottom side. When the plant makes fruit, they are black and almost perfectly round.
Its Plant Family
The world of Rubus plants, which includes blackberries and raspberries, is very interesting. It can be tricky for scientists to figure out exactly which groups are different species. There are many rare kinds of Rubus plants that only grow in small areas. The showy blackberry is one of these.
Scientists are always studying these plants to learn more. Some studies suggest that the showy blackberry might have formed from two other types of blackberries. These are R. allegheniensis and R. pensilvanicus. This process is called hybridization. It means two different plants combined to create a new one.
