Northern Dewberry Rubus flagellaris

The Genus Rubus includes blackberry, dewberry, and raspberry and most members of the Genus share the traits of prickly (sometimes erroneously called thorny) or bristly stems and compound leaves. Also, flowers and fruit appear on last season's canes (branches), seldom on new shoots, which means one must be cautious when pruning and not remove the canes that will yield next year's berries. There are differences, however, among species; for example, some are erect or arching shrubs up to 8 feet high and others trail on the ground like vines. Some, such as dewberries, produce fruits in the spring while blackberries and raspberries fruit during the summer. In general, Genus Rubus contains some of the most important plants for wildlife in the southeast.

The Northern dewberry is a very low-growing perennial shrub that behaves like a woody vine, producing stems up to 15 feet long that trail along the ground. The stems have scattered hooked prickles and are green when young and brown when older. The fruiting stems rise from the trailing stem, sometimes rising to 4 feet above the ground. It frequently shares habitat with poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).

The Northern dewberry is easily grown in a good well-drained loamy soil in sun or semi-shade. A very polymorphic species, it is sometimes cultivated for its edible fruit and there are some named varieties. This species is a blackberry with biennial stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:

Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.