Bramble is the term used to denote vines covered with thorns, like roses, that bear fruit such as blackberries. It is more frequently used in the UK than in the US, where briar is used for non-fruit bearing plants and fruit-bearing plants are called by their respective names.
If you’ve ever heard the term bramble, you likely encountered a rather prickly situation. These thorn-covered vines are similar to roses, but usually bear fruit of some sort, generally blackberries or raspberries. However, in the UK, the term bramble is used to refer to any tangled, thorny bushes, whether or not they bear fruit.
Interestingly, in the UK, the term bramble and brambleberry can also be applied to the fruit of such vines. For instance, blackberries are sometimes called brambleberries. This is particularly true of the blackberry in particular, as the plants are widely distributed throughout England.
The situation is different in the US. Here, we usually use the word briar to denote a fruit-less vine covered in thorns. If the vines are fruit-bearing, such as blackberries or raspberries, they are called by their names – blackberry bushes, for instance. This applies to both wild plants, and to cultivated plants.
Brambles, particularly the variety that do not fruit, are notoriously difficult to eradicate, and can be serious pests in outdoor gardens. This is because a single plant may have not only very deep roots, but can send our runners for many feet in every direction.
Eradicating a bramble plant in one place may be useless, because it is only a runner from another bush located not far away. Special herbicides have been developed to help eradicate brambles/briars because of the difficulty involved with successfully eliminating them through other methods.
Share this Term
Don't Miss the Latest News From Maximum Yield!
Stay on top of new content from MaximumYield.com. Join our email newsletter and get the latest grow tips in your inbox every week.
Latest Articles
By: Kent Gruetzmacher | Writer, Owner of KCG Content
By: Rich Hamilton | Writer, Consultant, Author of The Growers Guide
By: Lynette Morgan | Author, Partner at SUNTEC International Hydroponic Consultants
By: Kent Gruetzmacher | Writer, Owner of KCG Content
You must be 19 years of age or older to enter this site.
Please confirm your date of birth:
