The Himalayan Blackberry gets a bad rap because it is everywhere and because it is considered invasive (native to Northern Iran and Armenia, coming to America in about 1885). It is quite prolific here on Whidbey Island and when under control, I think of it as a much liked blackberry (great tasting when ripe) and the biggest nectar source for honey bees on all of Whidbey Island.
Without the Himalayan blackberry, we wouldn’t have much of a honey crop. There is a bit of honey to be made from early spring Maples but usually it’s a bit too cold for the bees. After the blackberries bloom, we do get a bit of honey from various wildflowers (invasive and not) but it’s these blackberries that truly give us our own native Whidbey Island honey.
So the next time you want to kill this amazing blackberry plant, please think about it. Keep it under control maybe but completely eliminating it could completely eliminate this island’s beekeepers too.