Rubus bifrons aka European Blackberry

Rubus bifrons is a blackberry in the rose family. It comes from Europe, despite the name Himalayan blackberry. This perennial shrub now grows wild across much of North America. It occurs in thickets, along roads, and in pastures. In North Carolina, it grows most often in the mountains. Its fast growth and wide spread can cause problems in gardens.

Plants reach 2–8 feet (0.6–2.44 metres) tall. Their spread ranges from 2–20 feet (0.6–6.1 metres). The canes arch and may creep along the ground. Hairs and stout prickles cover the stems. A lasting rootstock sends up new canes each year. Each cane bears fruit in its second year, then dies. The plant loses its leaves or keeps some through winter. Each leaf has three or five leaflets in a palmate form. The green leaflets have toothed edges and pale, hairy undersides. Hooked prickles grow along the larger veins beneath them.

White or pink flowers open from April to June. They form panicles at the ends of the branches. One cluster may hold as many as 100 flowers. The blooms have a cup shape and provide nectar for pollinators. Flowers can also form fruit and fertile seeds without fertilization. Those seedlings carry the same genes as the parent. Black fruit reaches about three-quarters of an inch long. The harvest season falls in autumn. Birds and other animals eat the fruit.

This blackberry grows in full sun or light shade. It accepts sand, clay, and loam, but needs good drainage. Rich loam suits it best. It also grows across acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Rooting canes offer an easier way to raise plants than seeds. Division and stem cuttings are other methods. Sources describe it as easy to grow but high in maintenance. A sunny woodland edge is one suggested garden setting. Its flowers and fruit give it value for wildlife.

The fruit can be eaten fresh or cooked. Its flavor rates below that of some other blackberries. It also yields a purple to muted blue dye. Plants For A Future lists no known hazards or medicinal uses. The prickles still pose a handling problem. This species can become invasive, most of all in the Pacific Northwest. NC State lists cane borers and Fusarium wilt among its problems. These include both rednecked cane borer and raspberry cane borer. Its spread and maintenance needs matter when choosing a planting site.