To the delight of my kids, Dewberry season is upon us! In our backyard, Dewberries grow rampant in the open, sunny parts surrounding our detention pond. Closely related to blackberries, these small berries are a little on the sour side, but still a delectable find to small children who like to roam the wild places and forage for food.
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| Swamp Dewberries |
There are several different types of
Dewberries, but in our yard we have Swamp Dewberries,
Rubus hispidus. Also called Bristly Dewberries or Swamp Blackberries, they are native to the Eastern half of the U.S. and Canada. This Dewberry plant is a low-growing, trailing vine that is covered in prickly hairs and spreads to form a low groundcover.
As indicated by the name, the Swamp Dewberry likes swampy places. They are frequently found on the edge of wetlands (such as my detention pond). In early summer, the plants are covered in white flowers, small but pretty.
As with so many native berrying plants, Dewberries are beloved by wildlife. Native bees use the leaves for nesting material, and the flowers attract many different kinds of bees, small butterflies, and other assorted creatures in search of pollen and nectar.
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| Honeybee on Dewberry flower |
The berries that result from the pollinated flowers are an important source of food for a large variety of songbirds and gamebirds. Small animals such as chipmunks, mice, and raccoons also eat Dewberries. The leaves of the Dewberry plant are also eaten by rabbits and deer.
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| a tiny bee on the Dewberry flower |
I honestly would not grow Dewberries in a garden setting, as it spreads quite rapidly and would become weedy and take over. If one needed a groundcover for a large wild area, however, this would do the trick. Dewberries are one of those pioneer plants that are first to reestablish after a fire or after an area has been cleared. They prevent erosion of soil and establish conditions for other, larger plants to move in.
I am glad to have a lot of Dewberries in the backyard, however. I like having plants for the enjoyment of wildlife, as well as for the enjoyment of two (sometimes wild) children!
Happy Wildflower Wednesday!
