Though its fruit is smaller and more elusive, it is prized for a flavor that is far more than the larger commercial varieties. This superior taste made it a staple for Indigenous tribes, who ate the berries fresh or dried them into meat cakes for winter. It also became the "mother" of many modern berries:
The story of —commonly known as the California blackberry or Pacific blackberry —is one of a quiet native inhabitant standing its ground against flashy invaders and becoming the hidden ancestor of modern garden favorites. The Native Pioneer rubus ursinus
: This wild native was used as a parent plant to create these famous hybrids, which brightened the wine-like flavors of blackberries with the sweetness of raspberries. Though its fruit is smaller and more elusive,