There are many species of Rubus that can be invasive the most common and present in our local area are the European Blackberry: Rubus fruiticosus ssp aggregate
The Blackberry is a large woody shrub that is incredibly invasive and spreads quickly, the fruit is a popular meal for birds, foxes and other mammals which means the seeds are dispersed widely there can be up to 80 seeds in one blackberry so it is important to remove plants before they fruit.
Methods of removal are Digging out, spraying with herbicide or cutting back to main stem as close to the ground as possible and then painting with herbicide.
Botanic Name: Rubus fruiticosus ssp aggregate
Common Name: Blackberry or European Blackberry
Origin: Europe
Flower Colour: White
Flowers: November – March
Photo Credit: Linda Sijpkes
Indigenous Lookalike:
Sometimes mistaken for Blackberry the Native Raspberry, Rubus parvifolius grows widely around the local area a distinct difference is the pink sometimes red flowers, the Native Raspberry also has a smaller leaf than the Invasive Blackberry.
Also sometimes referred to as Small leaf bramble, Rubus parvifolius grows aprox 0.6-2mH x 0.5-3mW and prefers well drained soil in a semi to fully shaded position
Botanic Name: Rubus parvifolius
Common Name: Small leaf Bramble, Native Raspberry
Origin: Australia
Flower Colour: Pink to Red
Flowers: October – February
Photo Credit: Linda Sijpkes