Evergreen blackberry (Rubus laciniatus)

Gallery:

Common names:

Evergreen blackberry, cutleaf blackberry

Scientific Name:

Rubus laciniatus

Description:

Evergreen blackberry is an upright to rambling evergreen, perennial, woody shrub with stout stems that possess stiff, sharp, recurved prickles. It may grow up to 13 feet and stems can be about 30 feet long. Plants grow into impenetrable thickets. Flowers are in clusters of 5 to 20. Each flower has 5 petals and 5 sepals. Petals are white to dark pink in color and are 3 lobed at the tips. Leaves are alternately arranged and generally made up of 5 leaflets that are deeply divided and lobed with toothed margins. Leaves are green to dark green in color. Leaf undersides have hairs.

Life cycle:

Perennial

Height of mature plants

10 feet

Flower color:

White

Bloom time:

June through July

Look-a-likes:

Himalayan blackberry (Rubus bifrons) is similar but does not have as deeply divided leaves.

Habitat:

It grows in a wide range of conditions including disturbed areas, pastures, forest plantations, roadsides, riparian areas, riverbanks and wetland edges.

Impacts:

Cutleaf blackberry outcompetes native vegetation and prevents the establishment of native trees that require sun for germination. It forms impenetrable thickets that block access to water and lacks the deep, bank stabilizing roots of native wetland shrubs and trees.

Noxious Weed Listing:

Origin:

Eurasia

Links:

Washington Noxious Weed Profile
Invasive.org profile

 

WeedWise Program