# Common Dewberry (*Rubus flagellaris*) Common Dewberry is a sweet, juicy berry that grows on low bushes. Kids love to pick and eat these tasty treats during summer adventures in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Common Dewberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rubus_flagellaris_drupe.jpg&width=800) Photo: James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org, CC BY 3.0 us · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rubus_flagellaris_drupe.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Dewberry is a low-growing, trailing vine with slender, thorny stems. It produces delicate white flowers in spring, followed by shiny, dark purple to black berries. Unlike upright blackberries, its vines typically creep along the ground. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rubus ## Interesting facts - Dewberries get their name because they often glisten with morning dew! - Each tiny bead on a dewberry is actually a complete fruit, called a drupelet! - If a dewberry vine touches the ground, its tip can root and start a brand new plant! - These low-growing plants often ripen their sweet berries earlier than taller wild blackberries! ## Special abilities - **Ground Hugger:** Common Dewberry has flexible stems that trail along the ground, helping it spread quickly and root in new spots. - **Thorny Protector:** Common Dewberry's stems are covered in sharp prickles, helping it defend against hungry browsers like deer. - **Fruitful Spreader:** Common Dewberry produces delicious, juicy berries that attract animals to eat them, spreading its seeds far and wide. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-60 cm - **Spread:** 50-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Robins feast on the ripe berries. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer browse on the leaves and stems. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Bumble bees visit the dewberry flowers. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash dewberries before eating them to keep your tummy safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Dewberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Common Dewberry? 15-60 cm ### How wide does Common Dewberry spread? 50-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on Common Dewberry? 1-2.5 cm ### When does Common Dewberry bloom? Spring to early Summer ### Is Common Dewberry edible? Yes ### Is Common Dewberry toxic? None ### What is Common Dewberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Field Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/field-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Five Channels Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/five-channels-dam) — Michigan, US · Historic Site - [Rockdale Common Housing District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rockdale-common-housing-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Lyman School for Boys](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lyman-school-for-boys) — Massachusetts, US · Campus - [Main Street-Albertson Street-Park Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/main-street-albertson-street-park-place-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Mytoi](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mytoi) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Common Dewberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-dewberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Dewberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-dewberry)