Bristly Dewberry

A prostrate, thorny vine which sprawls instead of climbing, this species is often found in moist, disturbed areas, forest edges, and swamps, with showy white flowers appearing intermittently throughout the growing season (May-Sept) turning to edible blackberries. Tolerates sandy soil, acid soil, swampy conditions, degraded and disturbed habitats, and tends to like areas that have been impacted by fire. A favorite of many types of pollinator, including bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. The leaves and stems also support an incredibly wide variety of insects, and this species acts as a host plant for the Striped Hairstreak butterfly. Swamp Dewberries are also important to many vertebrates, and the fruits may be eaten by a number of turtle species, including Wood Turtles, Box Turtles, and Mud Turtles. Songbirds, game birds, and a wide number of mammals also make use of this plant, from chipmunks, opossums, mice, raccoons, and red and grey foxes (yes, they're omnivores!) to moose and elk. By virtue of their thick, matlike and low thicket-forming growth habit, swamp dewberries also provide excellent cover for wildlife and nesting habitat for many types of birds. Overall a species with incredible ecological value which forms very showy, low-growing thickets, but a word of warning to the gardener: because of the bristly back-facing thorns and tendency to root happily into the ground at regular intervals, this plant can make for a rather spiny tripping hazard, and can be difficult to work around in a hands-on garden setting-although because the stems of this species are bristly rather than spined, it is far more forgiving to work with than its cousin, Northern Dewberry (Rubus flagellaris).

2-4 foot long
Plant Hardiness Zones: 2b-9a
Woody Vine

Native Range: ME south to GA, west to MS and north to MN. Native to Canada in ON, QC, NL, NB, PE, and NS. Considered rare in IA.

Bristly Dewberry in a 4 inch pot $20.50

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