The Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council says the Himalayan blackberry has been discovered in Yarmouth, making it a first in the province. Despite the name, the bush that forms a thicket does not come from the Himalayan mountains, but from the Armenian region. Council supervisor Kirsten Noel said the plant was discovered last week in a few different locations in Yarmouth, including the waterfront and the Yarmouth County Rail Trail. The penetrating berry will continue to bloom until frost forms. (Submitted by Kirsten Noel) “It’s our suspicion that it was deliberately planted in a garden by someone who probably didn’t realize how invasive it was or how aggressively it grows,” Noel said. He said the “aggressiveness” is what sets it apart from native blueberries. It can reach five meters in height and uses canes – long, thin branches – to move. Reeds can grow more than 10 meters in length and take root anywhere they touch the ground, helping them to create new plants. The berries themselves are slightly larger than those grown on native species, lack the trademark hairs and are slightly tarter in flavor. Himalayan blackberry bushes are also dense and covered in thorns, creating large walls that can block access to waterways and trails. “They don’t develop in harmony with our native species,” Noel said. “Many times, invasive species compete with our native species for important resources like food or nutrients or space. Ultimately, it could reduce biodiversity.” Part of the attraction to planting the berry is its fruit production, said David Sollows, the president of the UNESCO Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve Association. He said this is especially true as the plant will continue to flower and fruit until frost sets in. Sollows said controlling the plant in the early stages of its spread is crucial. “Once it gets established in things like fields and agricultural areas, it can create really dense barriers of huge, thorny branches that are pretty much impenetrable,” he said. It is possible that part of the spread of the plant is due to birds eating the berries and dropping the seeds. Sollows added that climate and coastal exposure may also play a role in how well the Yarmouth plant does. Shrubs create large walls of green that can block access to waterways and paths. (Submitted by Kirsten Noel) Although this is the first sighting of the plant in Nova Scotia, it has already been seen in other Canadian jurisdictions. British Columbia has long dealt with the plant, which has been found in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver. Noel said the council would likely be able to control the growth of the plant after it was spotted early. He said the group plans to reach out to other invasive species councils that have dealt with the berries to get a sense of the best course of action. Eventually, a management plan will be developed to outline how the council will deal with the existing factories. “This could include outreach and education as well [manually] cutting the bushes, digging them up,” Noel said. “It’s definitely something that’s on our high priority list now that we know it’s there.” Sollows echoed the sentiment and said education is an important part of getting the berry plant under control. “Convincing the public that you really don’t want it … can be a challenge,” he said. “It’s a plant that will eventually start costing municipalities and agricultural people money to eradicate.”
