The Dirt | Weed of the Month August 2026 | Cutleaf blackberry (Rubus laciniatus)
Our August Weed of the Month is Cutleaf blackberry (Rubus laciniatus). Cutleaf blackberry is named after its deeply divided ("cut") leaves. Usually bearing five leaflets, the leaves are serrated on the margins and alternate up the rigid cane. The flowers are similar to other blackberry species, pink-to-white with notched petals. This blackberry species also has thick canes and thorns, like those of Himalayan blackberry. It inhabits disturbed areas such as open fields, railroad tracks, forest edges, and riparian areas.
Like other blackberry species, cutleaf blackberry is problematic due to its ability to form dense thickets. These thickets impede wildlife movement and limit land access. Management of blackberry is usually a multi-season and integrated process. Mowing the canes in the fall or early spring can help reduce the plant's vigor and likeliness to flower and produce berries. Herbicide is best applied to the foliage, either on fresh regrowth after mowing or early in the spring before flowers emerge.
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