I Hate Blackberries!

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. The Himalayan blackberry has become a dreaded and despised weed across the world. Where have they not spread their spiky tendrils? Chile South Africa Mexico Australia

2. What area has the dubious honor of being the original home of the Himalayan blackberry? The Himalayas The Pacific Northwest Great Britain Armenia

3. Himalayan blackberry has many vices. Which is NOT one of them? Crowds out native plants Dead canes are a fire hazard Blocks trails with impassable thickets Leaves are poisonous to livestock

4. Himalayan blackberries can quickly overtake an area. Which is NOT one of the ways that they can spread? Canes root wherever they touch the ground Pieces of thorny cane become entangled in animal fur, fall out, and root Roots send up suckers Animals eat the berries and spread the seeds

5. In which habitat do Himalayan blackberries cause the most problems? Oak woodlands Old-growth forests Riparian areas near streams and rivers Native-grass prairies

6. What misguided but famous individual was responsible for the invasion of Himalayan blackberry in the Pacific Northwest? William Clark Meriwether Lewis Luther Burbank George Washington

7. In the past, ecologists actually recommended planting Himalayan blackberries in the Pacific Northwest. True False

8. Many weeds have natural controls- thing like bugs that eat them or diseases that plague them- that can be used to control them. Unfortunately for blackberry destroyers, natural controls for Himalayan blackberry are not available in the US, because of fears that they may infect cultivated blackberries. However, one natural control, scientifically known as Phragmidium violaceum, has been used in Australia and was discovered in 2005 on Himalayan blackberry in Oregon. What is Phragmidium violaceum? A fungal disease A bacterial disease An insect A small mammal that eats blackberry leaves

9. If you want to get rid of Himalayan blackberries, which method has the greatest chance of success? Spray them with herbicide in the early spring Burn them to the ground Cut them down after flowering, dig up all root crowns, and spray any shoots that emerge in the fall with herbicides Cut them down with a brush mower

10. Do Himalayan blackberries have any benefits whatsoever to the environment? No, they are an utterly useless pox upon the face of the earth Yes, but they are outweighed by their deficits Yes, they really are pretty benign and on the whole do more good than harm Only in their natural environment in their country of origin