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Native Plant Society of Texas

Southern Dewberry

Rubus trivialis

Other common name(s):

Dewberry

Family:

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Groundcover, Herbaceous

Height

1
to
3
ft.

Spread

1
to
3
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Moist, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland, Wetland or Riparian

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fruit, Forage, Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Beetles, Birds, Small Mammals, Nectar Insects, Bees

Maintenance

Dewberry forms dense arching thickets. It grows in a variety of habitats, including bogs, swamps, streambanks, roadsides, grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands. And grows in a wide variety of well drained soils. It can tolerate semi-shade or full sun. Propagation: seed, root sprouts.

Comments

Blooms January-June. Southern Dewberry is a sprawling, thicket forming herb. Arching stems are reddish-brown with small prickles. The palmately compound leaves grow along the stem, divided into five leaflets arranged in a star shape, with small teeth around the edges. The showy, five-petalled, white flowers are followed by small, seedy, red berries.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Rubus carpinifolius, Rubus continentalis, Rubus mississippianus, Rubus okeechobeus, Rubus rubrisetus, Rubus tallahasseanus, Rubus trivialis var. serosus

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification equires stratiRfication and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°c and is best sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring of the following year. 1) https://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Rubus+trivialis 2) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rubus+trivialis#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,in%20the%20autumn%5B200%5D.
Stem Cutting Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. 1) https://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Rubus+trivialis 2) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rubus+trivialis#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,in%20the%20autumn%5B200%5D.
Clump Division If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet. Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil Repot the parent plant back into its original pot Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below! 1) https://greg.app/plant-care/rubus-trivialis-southern-dewberry 2) https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rubus+trivialis#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,in%20the%20autumn%5B200%5D.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason