I first espied this intriguing plant back in 2011 at Hampton Court and incorporated it into my front garden a couple of years later.
Now I’m a fan of a Rubus (Japanese wineberries, raspberries and blackberries), but planting this in my urban front garden has been a bit of a mistake. Yes, there have (eventually) been some pink pompoms (which originally attracted me to this plant), but it’s been a quick grower and, similarly to my Japanese wineberry, it starts rooting each time a tip of a cane hits the ground. In fact, it seems to be even more successful than my wineberry, flipping over, seemingly at will, and spreading itself all over the place. And it comes with some rather nasty thorns. What’s more, although decorative (up to a point), it doesn’t produce oodles of edible berries, so what was I thinking?
As space is tight in my front garden, I’ve called it time on Rubus ulmifolius Belliddiflorus and have spent a good few hours digging it up, untangling it from other plants (noticeably a wild rose and my Oregon Thornless blackberry) that it has artfully woven itself into, and yanking rooted canes out of a slightly crumbling wall.
Its purply/pink stems and pompoms are, indubitably, attractive features, but it’s definitely a case of right plant, wrong place and I shall have to wait until I get an extra acre or two before I start growing this beast again.
The other morning I watched a grounds maintenance crew as they attempted to cut back some Rubus cockburnianus (lovely white stems in winter, but also viciously thorny), cursing as they got scratched and caught up in their clippings. These plants are amazing, but like Rubus ulmifolius Bellidiflorus, best left to their own devices in a scrubbier bit of land where they can happily do their own thing.
Shame it’s a thug but perhaps its defects could still be turned to good account. It might be an excellent plant to use as a burglar (and litter-lout) repellent hedge, if confined within a double wall or a deep and wide planter, alongside a fence.
Hi Diana, I agree, it could be a great deterrent against burglars, but even the more traditional Pyracantha seems a tad more controllable than this monster and it supplies berries that will last a while longer too. It does get in a bit of a tangle, so difficult to keep in a contained space.
I spent the morning cutting back an unidentified rose in the back patch. It has stunning bright pink clusters of flowers that go on for months. It mingles with a Clematis jackmanii and covers an unsightly wall and is great to look out on for much of the summer. The thorns tore my hands and threatened to rip my jumper however I decided the performance does justify keeping this vicious climber. But I agree with you sometimes one needs to be ruthless.
Hi Sue, I’m all for a rambling rose, thorny or not, (especially if mingling with a delightful Clematis), but this Rubus didn’t give me the joy that your roses supply, so yes, it had to go!
Naomi, you gave a cutting and this year it burst into flower all over the place. I
Have it on an arch but it would do better where it has more room to ramble…. but I love the pink Pom poms. A good present for those with large gardens.
Hi Deborah, so glad that it’s flowering so abundantly. Reading your comment, I have a slight pang of regret that I’m not growing it any longer, but as you said, definitely a plant for a larger garden!
I moved into my new home about 2 months ago and the garden needed quite a bit of work doing to it. I said at the time that I wouldn’t really be able to do anything but tidy it up due to the time of year. When tidying it up and pulling back a whole load of over grown weeds and bushes, I discovered a healthy Rubus ulmifolius Belliddiflorus. Now I have finished tidying the garden and packed my tools away for the winter months, I can take great pride in looking out at a relatively bare garden, but with a beautiful pink glow coming from the right hand side. Looking forward to better weather so I can really made it my own!
Exciting times! What fun to have a (nearly) bare garden to design. Happy planning /growing in 2017. V.best Naomi