# southern dewberry (*Rubus trivialis*) The southern dewberry is a sweet, juicy berry that grows close to the ground. Kids love to pick these little berries in the wild and enjoy their yummy taste during summer! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![southern dewberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Flickr_-_ggallice_-_Southern_Dewberry_-_Rubus_trivialis.jpg&width=800) Photo: Geoff Gallice from Gainesville, FL, USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_ggallice_-_Southern_Dewberry_-_Rubus_trivialis.jpg) ## Appearance The southern dewberry is a low-growing, trailing vine with slender, thorny stems and glossy green leaves. Its delicate white flowers bloom in spring, maturing into clusters of dark, juicy purple-black berries that resemble small blackberries. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rubus ## Interesting facts - Did you know their name 'dewberry' might come from morning dew clinging to the berries? - Southern dewberries are often among the first wild berries to ripen in spring! - This plant is part of the amazing rose family, just like many flowers! - You can turn these sweet, tart berries into delicious pies, jams, and jellies! ## Special abilities - **Ground Hugger:** Southern dewberry has long, thorny stems that trail along the ground, helping it cover large areas and outcompete other plants. - **Tough Protector:** Sharp, hooked thorns on its stems help southern dewberry defend against hungry herbivores and climb over obstacles. - **Early Bird Fruit:** Southern dewberry ripens its sweet, juicy berries earlier than many other brambles, attracting hungry animals first. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-60 cm - **Spread:** 100-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early Spring - Early Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Helps transfer pollen between its flowers. - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Enjoys eating the sweet, ripe dewberries. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on its leaves and tender young stems. - **Eaten by:** Virginia Opossum (*Didelphis virginiana*) — Consumes its ripe berries and sometimes foliage. ## Traits - [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. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [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. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before picking and eating wild berries. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify southern 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 southern dewberry? 15-60 cm ### How wide does southern dewberry spread? 100-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on southern dewberry? 1-2 cm ### When does southern dewberry bloom? Early Spring - Early Summer ### Is southern dewberry edible? Yes ### Is southern dewberry toxic? None ### What is southern dewberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bullock County Courthouse Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bullock-county-courthouse-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Columbia Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-canal) — South Carolina, US · Historic Site - [Commerce Street Residential Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/commerce-street-residential-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Convent and Academy of the Visitation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/convent-and-academy-of-the-visitation) — Alabama, US · Campus - [East Commerce Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-commerce-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Fairlie-Poplar](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairlie-poplar) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see southern dewberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/southern-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: [Southern Dewberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-dewberry)