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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)

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

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Riparian, Wetland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Forage, Fruit, Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Birds, Beetles, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Maintenance

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

Description

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://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rubus+trivialis#:~:text=Plant%20Propagation,in%20the%20autumn%5B200%5D.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason