Dewberries are a variety of taxa of the Rubus species
They are closely associated with blackberries. Rather than high-arching or erect, they are small trailing or woody vine brambles bearing amassed fruits resembling raspberries. The dewberry fruit is edible and can be made into preserves, consumed fresh, or cooked into pies. They are commonly dark purple rather than red.
Dewberries may be found all over Northern Europe and North America. The plant flowers are mainly between April and June.
Physical Appearance
The dewberry is a woody vine with curled prickles that root at the cane tips. The older stems are woody and brownish, while the younger ones are green. The density of flowers is moderate. The dewberry plant looks whitish and is characteristically subtended by a little leaf. They present in tiny clusters or sometimes on long stalks as singles.
Similar to raspberries, dewberry berries are purple-red, with seeds that are more rigid and extensive in comparison to blackberry seeds. Its fruits are a deep purple, nearly black, and covered in a thin coating of waxy droplets. As a result, they seem pale blue. Dewberries are less popular since their tiny fruits have a distinct sour flavor even when completely ripe.
The plant grows in a trailing habit and reaches a height of approximately two feet. Its red-haired stems are covered in hooked prickles (slender thorns). Its leaves are complex, alternating, and roughly oval with sharp teeth. They are primarily three-divided, with each of the two lateral leaflets having a pointy lobe. Northern dewberries are low-growing perennial plants that grow like a woody vine, with stems reaching fifteen feet trailing the ground.
Its berries are tough to reach since they naturally run along the ground. Fruiting canes of dewberries are commonly attached to a wire trellis which helps to keep them off the ground, making the fruit more easily reachable.
Habitat
The dewberry plant occurs in abandoned pastures, fields, fencerows, thickets, or prairies. The European dewberry is often limited to coastal areas, especially dune environments.
Pollination
Most dewberries are self-fruitful. For those that aren't, cross-pollination is mandatory to produce a crop.
What's the Dewberry Purpose in The Ecosystem
Several bird types, including finches, waxwings, and catbirds, relish dewberry fruits, as do opossums, box turtles, and raccoons. As a source of food, they keep the ecosystem going.
Dewberries Health Benefits
This fruit is rich in minerals and vitamins and has a low-calorie density, meaning its calorie count is low – up to 0.01 calories per ounce. The dewberry is a reputable source of Vitamins K and C – approximately 52.9% per calorie. Additionally, they contain low levels of potentially harmful ingredients like sodium, fat, and sugars – up to 0% per ounce.
Recipe Suggestions
You can experiment with dewberries like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. Blend them into a smoothie, add them to other fruit cake ingredients, make a cocktail, or add them to your fruit salad are all viable options. You can also use dewberries to make jam, cobbler, or pie.
