Rubus hispidus
Rubus hispidus
Common names: bristly blackberry, swamp dewberry, bristly dewberry
Rubus hispidus is trailing thorny/prickly vine. It has compound leaves with three leaflets. Leaves are light or dark green to purple, serrated, and about 2 inches across (or less). The trailing stems can root at the tips, so they spread easily. They are known as a bristly dewberry because of its thorns. This plant is native to northeastern North America (and Washington). It is a woodland plant but is often found in disturbed sites. I found this plant on a rocky slope alongside a road.
Life history: The bristly dewberry is a perennial, blooming in the summer with small white flowers and producing edible berries (resemble blackberries -either red or black). I have eaten the berries and while they are seedy they are pleasantly sweet and tangy.
Growth Preferences:
- Moist to dry acidic soil (prefers wet habitats (like swales) and woodland edges)
- Full sun to part-shade
- Zones 3 through 7
Web References:
- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rubus-hispidus/
- https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/rubus/hispidus/
- https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=RUHI
- https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Rubus+hispidus
Photos taken in Dunbarton, New Hampshire on November 18, 2020
