Dewberry

Dewberry - Rubus caesius

Description

Weak, sprawling sub-shrub stems round, slightly prickly, unridged with a whitish bloom. Leaves trifoliate. Flowers white, occasionally pink, 20 to 25 mm in small clusters. Fruit black, with a waxy bloom.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Damp habitats, scrubby areas and grassland, often on limestone.

When to see it

Flowers May to September.

Life History

Perennial shrub.

UK Status

Widespread in England and Wales although less common further west, and infrequent in the north of Britain.

VC55 Status

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 102 of the 617 tetrads.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records

Photo of the association

Phragmidium bulbosum

Phragmidium bulbosum is a gall-causing rust fungus that affects the leaves of various Rubus species (Blackberry, Dewberry etc.). There is no host alternation.  It is usually recorded as telia, which are black and in the leaf undersides;  the teliospores have 4 - 7 cells, a long pedicel and an apiculus.  Spermogonia are on the leaf upperside, and minute yellow aecia underside.