This diminutive semi-evergreen is technically sort of a micro-shrub. Although it can reach
8″ (20 cm) in height, it is usually close to the ground.
It produces berries similar in appearance to
those produced by its much larger sibling shrubs, such as blackberries and raspberries.
Dewberry is native to eastern North America, preferring wet habitats, partial sunlight, and
acid soils. It is common in disturbed
soils, meadows, fields, and wetland and forest edges.
Plants: Swamp dewberry is actually a vine (liana),
sometimes up to 8″ (20 cm) high, spreading
along the ground via stolons, sometimes as far as 8′ (2.4 m). Stems are
light green or red, with bristly hairs and some small prickles.
Leaves: Leaves are alternate, in clusters of three,
obovate or
ovate, and crenate or doubly crenate. Leaf clusters are on
petioles (stems) up to 4″ (10 cm) long. Leaflets are
1-3″ (2.5-7.6 cm) long and less than 1″ (2.5 cm) wide.
Flowers: Flowers occur in groups of 3-6, each
½-¾″ (1.3-1.9 cm) in diameter, with five white wrinkly petals and five much smaller
light green sepals. Flowers appear in early to mid summer.
Fruits: Fruits—drupes—resemble miniature blackberries, less than
½″ (1.3 cm) in diameter. Green or white at first, they become red, then dark purple or black.
Edibility: Fruits are important nutritive sources for birds,
but are sour tasting to people. They are edible.