Himalayan Blackberry is native to Caucasus Mountains (Russia, Turkey, …) and Near East (Syria, Iraq, …). It was imported to North America in 1885 as a cultivated crop and has since widely spread. It can be identified by its black berries, thorny vines and growth in dense thickets. Himalayan Blackberry has ridged stems, larger thorns, and 5 leaflets per leaf in comparison to native Pacific Blackberry with round stems, smaller thorns and 3 leaflets per leaf. Himalayan Blackberry grows and spreads rapidly, damaging native ecosystems and reducing access to important resources for other plants, animals and people. and making it one of the most impactful and difficult to control invasive plants.
