It’s on the side of the road, on overgrown lots and parks, and sometimes in backyards. It’s the Himalayan blackberry. Oregonians may have a thorny relationship with the blackberry, but a Portland group says might as well eat it.
Himalayan blackberry, sometimes also known as Armenian blackberry, is considered an noxious invasive weed in Oregon. It’s a prolific spreader that can outcompete other native plant species and disrupt wildlife habitat with its dense thickets. From June until late fall it produces sweet berries that are edible.
“We know that we’re never going to get rid of all of the invasive blackberries in our state or country,” said Keisler Fornes with the Portland Fruit Tree Project. “But here it is, this really wonderful fruit that we all love to go out and pick. And I think most of us have childhood memories of picking blackberries. It’s probably the easiest, lowest-key urban foraging opportunity.”
Right now, that nonprofit group is running a campaign, Can’t Beat ‘em, Let’s Eat ‘em, a blackberry harvest and removal event. It’s a community series where people can learn about safe foraging and how to remove the blackberry.
It’s a mix of programs that blend community food access with environmental and ecological action, said Keisler Fornes.
“And then at the same time, how can we also advance the restoration side of things,” she said. “While we’re harvesting, we’ll cut down the blackberry canes and then we’ll get them over to the [Oregon] Zoo, who can use them for food for the herbivores. Which was also a really cute hook.”
Portland Fruit Tree Project gleans plums, apples, pears and berries from neighborhood backyards or sidewalks in an effort to prevent food waste, and it also runs educational workshops and partners with local food pantries to donate the fruit they collect.
It’s something Keisler Fornes said feels even more timely now.
The Trump administration earlier this year halted millions of dollars worth of food truck deliveries to food banks across the U.S., including in Oregon. Congressional Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed earlier this summer, could also put Oregonians SNAP benefits, informally known as food stamps, at risk too — at a moment in time when food banks are seeing increased demand for their services.
“I think the pressure is higher for us this year,” Keisler Fornes said. “This year it’s just been really clear to us that we need to be very focused on getting as much fruit out of our urban orchard spaces as we can and get it to as many pantry partners as we can.”