Himalayan Blackberry, Armenian Blackberry, Arizona Blackberry

Himalayan Blackberry is a highly aggressive, invasive weed in my area, Zone 8a Maritime Pacific Northwest. The strong, robust canes grow...Read More up to 20 feet tall in a year. They spread by underground runners, and by tip rooting of the arching canes, and by seeds. They are difficult to eradicate. I cut down about 1/4 acre of Himalayan Blackberry, using pruning shears, over a period of 2 years. After clearing, I broadcast grass seed and keep it mowed. Old crowns continue to sprout, but with mowing they are dying out. There are many excellent horticultural blackberry varieties with bigger, sweeter berries, on less aggressive canes. Some new types are thorness and have much better berries. Himalayan blackberry berries can be harvested and are sweet, if are so ripe they almost fall off the cane. Otherwise they are sour. They are borne high on the cane, and the thorns can draw blood while you are harvesting. Wear protection.

The kudzu of the Pacific northwest.

I have friends in Berkeley CA who after many years finally paved their small back yard...Read More rather than continue battling this brutally thorny bramble. The stout arching canes grow up to 40' long in a single season, often reaching 15' high and rooting wherever they touch the ground. This is a monster.

This species has done tremendous damage to wild and cultivated lands on the west coast, especially in the Pacific northwest. It's also present in the middle Atlantic states and in the midwest.

It's effectively evergreen and shades out and outcompetes anything in its path, consuming rich, diverse wetland and moist upland communities and converting them into acres of impenetrable blackberry monoculture. Cane density in these thickets has been reported to reach 520 canes per square meter. Birds sow the seeds far and wide.

I helped a friend in Bellingham, WA cut down and dig out a light streambank infestation---to the extent that we could---and replanted with willow and redosier dogwood, as commonly recommended. The shrubs we planted didn't outcompete the regrowth on the bramble, but I think we managed a draw.

Highly resistant to herbicide. Cut canes root instantly wherever they touch the ground and continue growing as if nothing has happened. This is one tough plant!

This is a "B" designated weed in Oregon.

Hardy to Z4, this comes from the Caucasus mountains of Armenia and northern Iran, not from the Himalayas. It was introduced into the US in 1885 by Luther Burbank.

Rubus armeniacus is native to SW Asia, but has naturalized in many areas throughout North America and Europe. It was originally brought t...Read Moreo the U.S. as a crop because the berries are larger and firmer than many of our native Rubus, making them more marketable. They are still widely cultivated for their delicious berries.

They have become a problem in many states, and having naturalized along creeks and other open lands. They readily outcompete native Rubus species, so great care should be taken to contain them. They are difficult to erradicate because they are perennial and come back from the roots year after year. They also seem to be resistant to many herbicides.

Leaves are compound and usually composed of 5 leaflets, but occassionally three. Leaves are medium green above and glacous below, with prominent veins on the undersides of the leaves. Rose-like barbed thorns are present along all stems as well as along the central vein of the undersides of leaves.

An invasive, non-native plant that is brutally thorny, but also a sweet and delicous food crop for humans and animals alike.

If you are thinking of growing this plant at home for it's delicious berries, there are a number of native Rubus species with equally or more dilectable and plentiful fruit. While there are a large number of excellent native Rubus species, they are not often found in grocery stores simply because the fruit does hold up well during shipping. If grown for home use, this should not be a problem and I would strongly recommend looking into your native species!

Invasive exotic which should not be planted, as it destroys native habitat. To get rid of it requires cutting it to the ground or digging...Read More up and replanting with fast growing shrubs or trees. Himalayan blackberry grows slowly in the shade and loves water so it you can get some thing else growing to compete with it you can beat it. We found willow stakes economically did the trick-- remove the blackberry and then the willow shrubs can grow quickly and shade out the resprouting blackberry.