Where is it from?

• Himalaya berry was introduced from Eurasia.

Where are you likely to find it?

• Himalaya berry is common throughout the Pacific Northwest and northwestern California.
• It thrives along the forest edge, beneath open, deciduous trees, and within shrub- and grasslands. About the only place it cannot survive is in the deep shade under conifers.
• Himalaya berry invades open areas along streams, in grasslands, along roads and fence lines, under power lines and eaves, anywhere that songbirds perch.
• There are large patches in the Redwood National and State Parks along the Redwood Creek trail, Davison Ranch, and at Enderts Beach, all popular with berry pickers.
• There are smaller patches in the Bald Hills prairies and oak woodlands, and elsewhere throughout the parks.

What makes it a "BAD" plant?

Although the tasty berries are enjoyed by both people and wildlife, the plants are a major pest. The canes, heavily armed with stout thorns, form dense impenetrable thickets up to 15 feet high. Individual canes die after about three years, but the dead canes remain and accumulate from year to year.
• Himalaya berry thickets can alter ecosystem functions by
  • Hindering reestablishment of native berry species during natural succession,
  • Shading out and killing smaller native species, especially in grasslands, and
  • Excluding large animals and sheltering some small animal species from predation. Native berry species tend to fend off large animals and shelter small ones, too, but not to the extreme that Himalaya berry does.

• Himalaya berry thickets can affect people by
  • Distracting from enjoyment of native grasslands and riparian areas,
  • Interfering with park operations such as trail maintenance and prescribed burning,
  • Building up dry-matter that may burn hot and fast (very hazardous near structures), and
  • Providing ideal habitat for rats. This is a problem near structures, which may suffer costly damage, and near any parking area where vehicles park overnight.

How do you get rid of it?

• Cut back canes to near the ground and dig out basal burl with a shovel or backhoe. Canes, burls and roots can be allowed to dry in a sunny place and burned.
• Check monthly for re-sprouts for six months, and pull them or cut them below the surface with a shovel. Check every two months thereafter. In most cases, a plant's energy reserves are depleted within a year, and it dies.
• Seed from the berries can germinate and re-infest a site. Make a final check the spring after removal, at which time all seedlings can be pulled out.
• Since Himalaya berry seeds are dispersed by song birds, complete eradication is impractical. The goal in the Redwood National and State Parks is primarly to achieve control 1) where native vegetation, such as the Bald Hills prairies, is threatened, or 2) where man-made structures and vehicles are vulnerable to damage. Since Himalaya berry is so widespread, an effective strategy is also crucial. Small thickets that are easily controlled are targetted first until the wherewithal is available to take on larger infestations.
• Preventive steps can be used to minimize problems by creating environments that are unfavorable to Himalaya berry success. Planting trees can make it too shady for Himalaya berry. Native blackberry, thimbleberry, and salmonberry can be planted to compete with Himalaya berry and slow or stop its colonization. Moving, modifying, or removing fences and other artificial perches can reduce the volume of bird droppings and the need to later remove Himalaya berry plants.

  Note: Native animals become dependent upon exotic species for food when there is no alternative. If Himalaya berry is removed from an area used by native songbirds where native berries are no longer present, native berry species must be re-introduced for the songbirds to eat, as well as mimimize Himalaya berry recolonization.

What can you do to help?

• Control Himalaya berry on your land. In addition to the method described above, goats and pigs work well and are suitable on private land.
• Help control berries in the Redwood National and State Parks. Sign up as a Volunteer in Parks (VIP).
• CAUTION: Do not remove plants without permission in writing or direction from the land owner, manager or, if on public lands, an agency official.

http://www.nps.gov/redw/h-berry.htm
Last Update: June 12, 2001