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Long arching prickly stems root where they touch the ground. Seed spread in bird droppings, mean
they can appear in most places, usually from below hedgerows, shrubs and trees where the birds perch.
The mature plant stems can reach 3 metres, with about four or
five arising from a root. The picture includes a seedling showing the immature leaves, older leaves have three to five, oval toothed leaflets with prickles on
the back of the petiole and centre vein. They are arranged alternately on the thorny stem. The backward facing thorns are the means by which the stems cling on as they grow through bushes and trees - and ruin many knitted swetters! The white, pink
or purple flowers appear from May to September on second year stems which die back later after the ripe
purple-black berries follow from September to October. Stout gloves with leather palms are a necessity for handling brambles. Young plants have one or two stems which are relatively easy to root out completely. Older plants have many stems, some of them dead, and can be difficult to dig up, especially when situated at the base of a hedge. A mattock is a useful tool for getting them out. The deep, woody roots can regenerate when the main clump is removed, so check later for new shoots. Continual pulling or close mowing will kill them eventually. Also check the end of arching stems which may have taken root and if pulled from afar, may leave a small rooted fragment behind. Use a stronger concentration of a systemic herbicide, eg. Gylphosate in Bayer garden tree stump killer, Growing success Deep Root ultra and Roundup Tree stump and Root killer, or a selective herbicide in Vitax SBK Brushwood killer. |
Seedling picture |
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