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Blackberry

Blackberry
Blackberry leaf and fruit
Blackberry
Blackberry infestation


General information

A native of Europe, blackberry (Rubus anglocandicans, Rubus fruticosus agg.) is a woody perennial shrub that grows in thickets, consists of arched, reddish purple stems up to 7 m long, with numerous hooked thorns.

Blackberry is a Class 3 declared plant under Queensland legislation and a Weed of National Significance (WONS).

Scientific name Rubus anglocandicans, Rubus fruticosus agg.
Impacts
  • invades native bushland, disturbed areas, banks of watercourses and roadsides
  • forms a dense canopy few plants can successfully compete with
  • provides ideal habitat for rabbits and foxes, providing food and shelter
  • dead material causes fire hazards
Description
  • leaves consist of 3-5 separate leaflets, are dark green on the upper side, whitish underneath
  • has white or pink flowers, 2-3 cm in diameter and formed in clusters at the ends of the branches
  • fruit changes colour from green to red to black as it ripens, 1-3 cm in diameter
  • has succulent and edible fruit, consisting of numerous fleshy segments, each containing one seed
  • seeds light to dark brown, oval, 2-3 mm long
Habitat and distribution
  • a pest in all states except the Northern Territory
  • occurs in Stanthorpe, Warwick, Killarney and Toowoomba areas
  • spreads by water along creeks, gullies and rivers
  • birds and animals, such as foxes, main seed dispersal method
Control
  • costly to control
  • chemical treatment for established plants is most effective
  • a combined approach of different control methods including chemical, biological, mechanical, herbicide and integrated with land management practices is most effective
  • see the blackberry fact sheet for further information
Further information

Author: Sonia Jordan
Page maintained by Sonia Jordan
Last updated 04 September 2007
URL: http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/xchg/dpi/hs.xsl/cps/rde/dpi/hs.xsl/4790_7154_ENA_HTML.htm

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