Highland blackberry (mora)

Rubus adenotrichos

The blackberry of cloud-forest farms, picked year-round for jugo de mora.

Type: shrub · berries and small fruit
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 8 ft tall, 8 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: Mountains of Central America and the Andes
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, wildlife.

Native to: Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean, Andean highlands. Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Mora, the highland blackberry of the Andes and Central America, grows wild and cultivated in the cloud forests above 5,000 feet; Costa Rican and Colombian farmers grow it on trellises, and the fresco de mora is the national drink of the highlands.

Planting

Full sun or light shade, rich, drained soil, and a cool, frost-free mountain climate; a thorny, rambling cane. Plant a cutting or tip-layer.

Growing

Water through dry spells, trellis the canes, and cut fruited canes back. It fruits most of the year in the highlands.

Harvest and use

Pick when fully black and soft; blend with water and sugar for frescos, or make jam and sauces.

What to watch for

Heat in lowlands, thorns, and grey mould in wet weather.

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More berries and small fruit

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home