Hawaii Invasive Species Council

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FLORIDA BLACKBERRY (RUBUS ARGUTUS)

Hawaii Pacific Weed Risk Assessment: 21.5 HIGH RISK

Regulatory Status: none

Prevention and Control Category: none

Description

• Erect or arching thorny shrub. Stiff stems usually stand upright in open areas. Hooked or straight prickles up to 6mm in length. Leaves are compound and have three or five leaflets. Flowers are white in color with five petals. Fruit are black when ripe.

Impacts

• Forms dense, impenetrable thickets that exclude other native plant species

• Seeds are spread by fruit-eating birds and mammals, also spreads vegetatively

• Thickets also make access difficult for hunters, hikers and other visitors to forest

• Can infest a variety of sites including grasslands, forest edges, stream banks, and boggy areas

Distribution

• Present on Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai
• Lanai: presence/absence unknown

More Information, see;

• Rubus argutus Datasheet from CABI
• Rubus argutus information from USDA
• https://www.hear.org/pier/species/rubus_argutus.htm