Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Smith, R.W.

Rubus pubescens

Rubus pubescens Raf.

Dwarf Red Blackberry, Dwarf Raspberry, Dwarf Red Raspberry, Trailing Raspberry, Dwarf Red Bramble, Dewberry, Pigeonberry

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: rupu

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

Ranging across northern Eurasia and northern North America as far south as montane Colorado, West Virginia, and Oregon, this diminutive, trailing Rubus species has decorative white flowers and red fruit. It prefers rich, moist, woodland soil. Its fruit is edible but slightly tart and with little pulp. Would make a good groundcover in moist, forested northern landscapes.

From the Image Gallery

11 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb , Subshrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Trifoliate
Leaf Shape: Ovate
Leaf Venation: Pinnate
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous , Hirsute
Leaf Margin: Serrate
Leaf Apex: Acute
Leaf Base: Cuneate
Leaf Texture: Smooth
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Inflorescence: Terminal
Fruit Type: Aggregate , Drupe
Size Notes: Usually up to 1 foot high.
Leaf: Green
Flower: Flower 1 cm.
Fruit: Red to 1 cm, aggregated drupelets.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: Blooms from late spring to early summer

Distribution

USA: CO , CT , IA , ID , IL , IN , MA , ME , MI , MN , MT , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OR , PA , RI , SD , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , NT , ON , PE , QC , SK
Native Distribution: Northern Eurasia and northern North America. Across Canada, south in the US as far as West Virginia, Nebraska, and Colorado at higher elevations
Native Habitat: Moist woodland and forest edge, bog/fen

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist , Wet
Drought Tolerance: Low
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Rich, moist woodland soils

Benefit

Use Ornamental: A good, trailing groundcover for rich, moist, shady areas in the north
Use Wildlife: Birds, Butterflies
Use Food: Fruit edible but tart and with minimal pulp.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees
Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Groundcover to reduce erosion for shady area in New York
May 05, 2009
We live on a lake with gravelly and clay soils, lots of wind and little sun. I am looking for a native ground cover that will help reduce erosion over some of the steep slopes facing south (under shad...
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW	FACW	FAC		FACW	FACW		FACW	FACW	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rubus pubescens in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rubus pubescens in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rubus pubescens

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-11
Research By: TWC Staff, GDG

Go back