Southern Dewberry
Rubus trivialis
Also known as: Savannah Dewberry
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States, Virgin Islands
Alex Abair (www.inaturalist.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Rubus
- Species:
- Rubus trivialis
- USDA Symbol:
- RUTR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Subshrub , Vine
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- feb,mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★★★★★ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Old Man Dart (Agrotis vetusta)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Moths:Coptotriche aenea, Eight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, butterflies
- Fall Color:
- red, purple
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers areas with organic matter
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds benefit from cold stratification for 60-90 days to break dormancy.
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: Claude AI