The flowers are an excellent food source for bees, butterflies and moths. The dense thickets provide valuable cover for birds, rabbits, and other smaller animals. Blackberry thickets are also common nesting sites for small birds. Very light shade to full sunlight. Moist sites are best, though various species thrive in all ranges of soil moisture.
Most species are free of insect and disease problems.
Thickets becoming too large from root suckers can be a problem. The sharp spines can be a problem for young children.