Himalayan Blackberry

Rubus armeniacus

Himalayan Blackberry is the most abundant and aggressive introduced blackberry in North America, brought from Armenia via Luther Burbank's horticulture experiments in the 1880s and now dominating disturbed habitats across the Pacific Coast. Its massive canes can grow 15 feet or more in a single season, and the large, juicy berries are among the most widely collected wild fruits in the West. Though ecologically invasive — capable of shading out native vegetation and altering stream bank structure — it provides enormous fruit production that supports bears, deer, birds, and countless other wildlife. Its thorns are formidably large and hooked.

Habitat

Roadsides, stream banks, forest clearings, vacant lots, and disturbed open ground throughout the Pacific Coast states and British Columbia.

Diet

Berries a primary late-summer food for Black Bears, Coyotes, American Robins, and Cedar Waxwings across the Pacific Northwest.

How common

Common