The dewberries are a group of species in the genus ''
Rubus
''Rubus'' is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae, with over 1,350 species.
Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of the ...
'', section ''Rubus'', closely related to the
blackberries
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus ''Rubus'' in the family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus ''Rubus'', and hybrids between the subgenera ''Rubus'' and ''Idaeobatus''. The taxonomy of ...
. They are small trailing (rather than upright or high-arching)
brambles with
aggregate fruit A raspberry fruit (shown with a raspberry beetle larva) is an aggregate fruit, an aggregate of drupe">raspberry_beetle.html" ;"title="raspberry fruit (shown with a raspberry beetle">raspberry fruit (shown with a raspberry beetle larva) is an aggre ...
s, reminiscent of the
raspberry
The raspberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus ''Rubus'' of the rose family, most of which are in the subgenus '' Idaeobatus''. The name also applies to these plants themselves. Raspberries are perennial with ...
, but are usually purple to black instead of red. Alternatively, they are sometimes referred to as ground berries.
Description
The plants do not have upright canes like some other ''
Rubus
''Rubus'' is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae, with over 1,350 species.
Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of the ...
'' species, but have stems that trail along the ground, putting forth new roots along the length of the stem. The stems are covered with fine spines or stickers. Around March and April, the plants start to grow white
flowers that develop into small green berries. The tiny green berries grow red and then a deep purple-blue as they ripen. When the berries are ripe, they are tender and difficult to pick in any quantity without squashing them. The berries are sweet and often less seedy than blackberries.
In the winter the leaves often remain on the stems, but may turn dark red.
The European dewberry, ''
Rubus caesius'', grows more upright like other brambles. Its fruits are a deep, almost black, purple and are coated with a thin layer or 'dew' of waxy droplets. Thus, they appear sky-blue (''caesius'' being
Latin for pale blue). Its fruits are small and retain a markedly tart taste even when fully ripe.
Species
* ''Rubus'' Section ''Caesii'', European dewberry
** European dewberry, ''
Rubus caesius'' L.
* ''Rubus'' Section ''Flagellares'', American dewberries
** ''
Rubus aboriginum'' Rydb., synonyms:
*** ''Rubus almus'' (L.H. Bailey) L.H.Bailey
*** ''Rubus austrinus'' L.H.Bailey
*** ''Rubus bollianus'' L.H.Bailey
*** ''Rubus clair-brownii L.H.Bailey
*** ''Rubus decor'' L.H. Bailey
*** ''Rubus flagellaris'' Willd. var. ''almus'' L.H.Bailey
*** ''Rubus foliaceus'' L.H. Bailey
*** ''Rubus ignarus'' L.H. Bailey
*** ''Rubus ricei'' L.H. Bailey
** Aberdeen dewberry, ''
Rubus depavitus
''Rubus depavitus'' is a North American species of dewberry, known as the Aberdeen dewberry. Like other dewberries, it is a species of flowering plant in the rose family, related to the blackberry
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced b ...
'' L.H.Bailey
** Northern dewberry, ''
Rubus flagellaris
''Rubus flagellaris'', the northern dewberry, also known as the common dewberry, is a North American species perennial subshrub species of dewberry, in the rose family. This dewberry is distributed across much of Canada, Mexico, and the United ...
'' Willd.
** Swamp dewberry, ''
Rubus hispidus
''Rubus hispidus'', with the common names swamp dewberry, bristly dewberry, bristly groundberry, groundberry, hispid swamp blackberry or running swamp blackberry, is North American species of dewberry in the rose family.
The plant grows in mois ...
'' L.
** Upland dewberry, ''
Rubus invisus
''Rubus invisus'' is a species of dewberry, known as upland dewberry. Like other dewberries, it is a species of flowering plant in the rose family, related to the blackberry
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the g ...
'' (L.H.Bailey) Britton
** Pacific dewberry, ''
Rubus ursinus
''Rubus ursinus'' is a North American species of blackberry or dewberry, known by the common names California blackberry, California dewberry, Douglas berry, Pacific blackberry, Pacific dewberry and trailing blackberry.
Description
''Rubus ursi ...
'' Cham. & Schltdl.
** Southern dewberry ''
Rubus trivialis
''Rubus trivialis'', commonly known as southern dewberry, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family (Rosaceae
Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. ...
'' L.H.Bailey
Distribution and habitat
Dewberries are common throughout most of the
Northern Hemisphere and are thought of as a
beneficial weed Beneficial may refer to:
Organizations
* Beneficial Corporation, a consumer finance company founded in 1914 that was ultimately bought by HSBC Corporation
** Beneficial Loan Society, the former name of Beneficial Corporation
** Beneficial Finance, ...
. ''Rubus caesius'' is frequently restricted to coastal communities, especially sand
dune systems.
Ecology
The leaves are sometimes eaten by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera species including
peach blossom moths.
Uses
The leaves can be used to make a
herbal tea, and the berries are edible and taste sweet. They can be eaten raw, or used to make
cobbler
Cobbler(s) may refer to:
*A person who repairs, and sometimes makes, shoes
Places
* The Cobbler, a mountain located near the head of Loch Long in Scotland
* Mount Cobbler, Australia
Art, entertainment and media
* ''The Cobbler'' (1923 film ...
,
jam, or
pie
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Sweet pies may be filled with fruit (as in an apple pie), nuts (pecan pie), brown sugar ( sugar pie), sweete ...
.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town of
Cameron, North Carolina
Cameron is a town in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 359 at the 2020 census.
History
Cameron grew up around a plank road that was followed in later years by a railroad. The town was planned in 1875 and incorporated ...
, was known as the "dewberry capital of the world" for large scale cultivation of this berry which was shipped out for widespread consumption. Local growers made extensive use of the railroads in the area to ship them nationally and internationally.
See also
*
Black raspberry
Black raspberry is a common name for three species of the genus ''Rubus'':
*''Rubus leucodermis'', native to western North America
*'' Rubus occidentalis'', native to eastern North America
*''Rubus coreanus
300px, (left to right) ''R. corean ...
*
Boysenberry
The boysenberry is a cross between the European raspberry (''Rubus idaeus''), European blackberry ('' Rubus fruticosus''), American dewberry (''Rubus aboriginum''), and loganberry (''Rubus'' × ''loganobaccus'').
It is a large aggregate frui ...
, a cross between a dewberry and a
loganberry
The loganberry (''Rubus'' × ''loganobaccus'') is a hybrid of the North American blackberry (''Rubus ursinus'') and the European raspberry (''Rubus idaeus'').
The plant and the fruit resemble the blackberry more than the raspberry, but the frui ...
*
Cloudberry, a dioecious ''Rubus'' species
*
Youngberry
The youngberry is a complex hybrid between three different berry species from the genus ''Rubus'' of the rose family: raspberry, blackberry, and dewberry. The berries of the plant are eaten fresh or used to make juice, jam, and in recipes.
The ...
References
External links
*
{{Hybrid Rubus
Berries
Plant common names
Rubus