No matter where you live in the world you are probably familiar with blackberries yet you may be unfamiliar with its cousin. Closely related to the blackberry plant, though formally a member of the rose family, Rosacea, the dewberry plant produces fruit that is similar to the blackberry in shape and appearance, though it is significantly larger than its cousin and is typically dark reddish-black in color.
The fruit from this plant is 100% edible and is often used in cakes, pies, fruit bowls and other treats and eats just as its cousin is. It is a staple crop in the southern United States , especially Illinois , and is extremely popular in Texas , Louisiana and other Southern states during mid-June. However, being native to the United States , this berry grows wildly, domestically and commercially across the entire country.
The plant itself is often described as a perennial plant, those its behaviors, especially in regards to producing fruit, may vary depending on the current fluctuation of the climate.
The excellent thing about this nearly self-seeding plant is that it is also self-sufficient, needing extremely little care and tending-in return for almost nothing, growers are rewarded with large harvests of its incredible, edible fruit. Some of the most common uses for the dewberry plant fruit is to make fruit cobbler, jellies and pies during the high season, though the jellies can be found in markets and grocery stores throughout the south at any time of year.
Growing best in partial sun and medium or dry conditions, the dewberry plant will grow well in and tolerate almost any type of soil or environment, including but not limited to, clays, sand, rocky areas and soils and clays containing loam. Other plants, whether related or not, may not grow successfully in many of these areas.
The plant is unique in that it tends to ripen nearly two weeks before blackberries and other berries-it is best to watch your garden carefully if you choose to plant these cousins, so as not to become confused and pick the blackberries too early, or the dewberries too late.
If you are searching for a quiet plant, beware the dewberry plant. It attracts a wide variety of wildlife, including but not limited to a wide variety of bees, butterflies, skippers, various flies, caterpillars, moths, safely maggots, blackberry aphids, rose leafhoppers, raccoons, fox squirrels, eastern chipmunks, white-footed mice, cottontail rabbits and white-tailed deer.
All in all, the dewberry plant is one that is both beautiful and edible, serving to provide both a food source and esthetic beauty to your garden. If you are searching for fruit bearing plants for your flower garden or for your fruit and vegetable garden, take a moment to consider this hardy plant that yields delicious, abundant fruits. Remember, it never hurts to kill two birds with one stone-enjoy your plant from the view of your porch while munching on a yummy muffin made from the "fruits" of your labor.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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