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Himalayan blackberry identification and control
Information about the noxious weed, Himalayan blackberry. Himalayan blackberry is also known by its Latin name, Rubus bifrons.
About this weed
Himalayan blackberry is a non-regulated Class C noxious weed. This means due to how widespread it is, property owners are not required to control this species on their property, though it is always encouraged.
Himalayan blackberry is known as Rubus bifrons and is in the rose family. It is also known by its former Latin names, Rubus armeniacus and Rubus discolor.
Why it’s a problem
Himalayan blackberry has escaped cultivation and become one of the most widespread plants in the landscape. Himalayan blackberry is spread by birds, animals, and disturbance. In King County, Himalayan blackberry can be found in nearly all sunny, disturbed ecosystems at low elevations.
Himalayan blackberry outcompetes native ground layer vegetation. Thickets become very dense, and animals have a hard time moving through the landscape. Himalayan blackberry can also mask eroding conditions on hillsides and riverbanks.
Plant description
Himalayan blackberry occurs on both sides of the Cascade crest in Washington. It can also be found from Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, the southern Great Plains, and eastern North America. Himalayan blackberry’s native range is Eurasia.
Himalayan blackberry has small, white to pinkish flowers with 5 petals.
It has ridged, arching canes with stiff, curved prickles. It can grow up to 15 feet tall and canes can be over 40 feet in length.
Leaves are palmately compound with large, rounded to oblong, toothed leaflets usually in groups of 5 on the main stem.
Himalayan blackberry produces large blackberries that are edible and very tasty.
Root crowns on established plants are large, starchy, and unusually shaped with sprawling roots.
Himalayan blackberry is a much more robust and imposing as compared to our native trailing blackberry, Rubus ursinus.
Be aware of look-alike plants
Himalayan blackberry is often confused with:
When in doubt, take photos and report them on iNaturalist.
What to do if you find it
Because Himalayan blackberry is so widespread, property owners in King County are not required to control it. King County is not generally tracking infestations. We can provide advice on how to control Himalayan blackberry, but there is generally no legal requirement to do so.
The King County Noxious Weed Control Board encourages property owners to remove Himalayan blackberry where possible, and to avoid introducing it to new landscapes.
Control methods
We recommend using a combination of methods to control weeds. In areas with few weeds, it is important to act quickly before they become harder to control. Make a long-term plan as it often takes several years to get rid of most weeds. Start in the least infested areas first and then move into more heavily infested areas.
For more in-depth control information, read Best Management Practices (BMP) for Himalayan blackberry
Blackberry can be controlled by digging, mowing, herbicide, plowing, or livestock grazing (especially goats).
Manual control
Removal of top growth by mowing, cutting, or grazing with goats will kill blackberry if done often (spring and fall) over several years.
Cutting followed by digging up root crowns is a very effective control method.
Chemical control
Stay safe when using herbicide:
- Always read the label before use.
- Wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, shoes, and eye protection.
- Follow state and local regulations.
For patches that are too large to dig up or mow, the most effective method is to apply herbicide. Apply herbicide to the foliage or live wood area of the canes of actively growing plants. Use the foliar or cut stump methods with an herbicide such as triclopyr, imazapyr, or glyphosate. Application of herbicides in late summer to fall (when native plants are dormant) will reduce off-target damage and improve control versus application in the spring.
See the PNW Pest Management Handbook for the most up to date and specific method for chemical control of Himalayan blackberry.
Avoid spraying where there is a chance that herbicide will enter a waterway or wetland unless you are using a state-approved aquatic herbicide and have the required permits and licenses to do so. Use of pesticides in water is regulated in Washington state. See Washington Department of Ecology Aquatic Pesticide Permits for details.
For more information or a site-specific control recommendation in King County, contact the noxious weed program. For information in other counties in Washington state, contact your local weed board or your local cooperative extension office.
Disposal instructions
Himalayan blackberry roots and shoot tips may continue to grow if they contact the ground. Pile blackberry canes and roots on tarps, downed logs, brush piles, or other elevated surfaces so stems will dry out.
If creating piles on-site is not an option, dispose of blackberry roots in yard waste bins or take to a transfer station. Home compost systems may not create high enough temperatures required to kill the seeds within the berries.
Noxious Weed Disposal - Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board