Swamp dewberry is a native perennial shrub in the Rose (Rosaceae) family with branching woody vines and trailing stems up to 8' long. Rather than arching canes, dewberries produce trailing stems that creep along the ground. The stems can root at the tips forming new plants. It is commonly found in wetland areas, disturbed habitats, forest edges, meadows, fields, and swamps. In NC it is primarily found in the coastal plains and the mountains and is rare in the Piedmont. The stems easily root at the tips forming new plants. The flowers of swamp dewberry are visited primarily by bees, including both long-tongued and short-tongued bees. The fruits are eaten by many species of songbirds and mammals. The summer berries have a sour flavor and the plant is generally not cultivated. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own. Read more about best practices for stem-nesting bees in this NC Extension publication . Information on blackberry cultivation for home gardeners is available in the NC State Extension publication Blackberries for the Home Garden . This plant can be used in naturalized areas to benefit wildlife. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: Potential insect problems are cane-boring beetles, leaf beetles, stink bugs, aphids, leafhoppers, treehoppers, katydids, walkingsticks, thrips, the larvae of sawflies, and the larvae of many moths. More information on Rubus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Spreading
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Doubly Crenate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Alternate three-parted (trifolate) compound leaves with coarsely toothed margins and many bristles. The upper leaflet surface is medium green, hairless, and somewhat shiny, while the lower surface is more pale and sometimes softly hairy.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Cup; Saucer
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Each white flower is 1/2-3/4 inches wide with 5 petals, 5 light green sepals united at the base, numerous stamens, and a light green compound pistil at its center. Petals are softly hairy. Blooms from April to June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Aggregate; Drupe
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Fruits start out green, moving to red, and finally dark purple when ripe.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
The stems are angular to round, have bristly to soft hars and scattered prickles. They are light green to reddish in color
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North America
Wildlife value
Flowers, fruit, and leaves feed multiple pollinators, birds, and small to large mammals. This plant provides nectar for pollinators. Dead stems are used by stem-nesting bees.
Attracts
Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Aggregate; Drupe
Edibility
Fruit can be consumed raw or cooked. It can have a sour flavor and is mainly used in preserves.