Northern Dewberry, Prickly Dewberry

Northern Dewberry, Prickly Dewberry Rubus flagellaris Sun to shade; medium to dry moisture level; loamy, clay loam, sandy or rocky soils; slightly acid to slightly alkaline pH. 8-12 inches tall but with stems up to 15 feet long that trail along the ground; blooms spring into summer; white flowers; oblong black drupes or fruit that ripens in late summer. Growth Rate:  Very rapid; spreads by stolons to form mounded colonies.  Also self-sows freely. Maintenance:  Susceptible to honey fungus.  Forms a dense thicket if left unmanaged. Propagation:  Seed germination code C(90); seeds need scarification with sulfuric acid treatment.  Easy from cuttings, layers and seeds. Native Region:  Scattered statewide This deciduous shrub forms a prostrate, prickly, spreading briar.  Fruit has a pleasant, tart-sweet flavor and is edible for humans.  Has stout, curved thorns.  Important source of food for a wide range of wildlife.  Attracts birds, butterflies and bees. shrub;sun;medium;clay shrub;sun;medium;loam shrub;sun;medium;sand shrub;sun;medium;rocky shrub;sun;dry;clay shrub;sun;dry;loam shrub;sun;dry;sand shrub;sun;dry;rocky shrub;sun/shade;medium;clay shrub;sun/shade;medium;loam shrub;sun/shade;medium;sand shrub;sun/shade;medium;rocky shrub;sun/shade;dry;clay shrub;sun/shade;dry;loam shrub;sun/shade;dry;sand shrub;sun/shade;dry;rocky shrub;shade;medium;clay shrub;shade;medium;loam shrub;shade;medium;sand shrub;shade;medium;rocky shrub;shade;dry;clay shrub;shade;dry;loam shrub;shade;dry;sand shrub;shade;dry;rocky

Photo Courtesy of John Hilty http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/ Photo Courtesy Christopher Noll, Robert W. Freckman Herbarium, http://wisplants.uwsp.edu Photo Courtesy Matthew L. Wagner, Robert W. Freckman Herbarium, http://wisplants.uwsp.edu Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia http://www.wikipedia.org