Flower profile

Swamp dewberry

Rubus hispidus

Swamp dewberry (Rubus hispidus) is a low shrub in the Rosaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–July across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Swamp dewberry is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.

26states where USDA records it

2Bloomipedia state lists include it

4,229U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Rhode Island, West Virginia

Quick look

Rubus hispidus, with the common names bristly dewberry, bristly groundberry, groundberry, hispid swamp blackberry, running swamp blackberry or swamp dewberry, is North American species of dewberry in the rose family.
From Wikipedia's article Rubus hispidus, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Rosaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 26 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to West Virginia and Rhode Island. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 512 research-grade sightings of it in West Virginia, ranking #71 among the 153 flowers on our West Virginia list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 162 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #98 among the 164 flowers on our Rhode Island list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (197 records)

Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
West Virginia	Native	few records (7)	512
Rhode Island	Native	few records (2)	162

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
West Virginia: No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in West Virginia.
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. ^{RI rare plants 2016}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: IA (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Fruit can be consumed raw or cooked. It can have a sour flavor and is mainly used in preserves.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Rubus pedatus (“Creeping Rubus”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records swamp dewberry in 26 states plus Washington, D.C.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

West Virginia counties with USDA records: Berkeley, Fayette, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Marion, Mercer, Mineral, Monongalia, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Preston, Raleigh, Randolph, Summers, Tucker, Webster, Wetzel, Wyoming.

Rhode Island counties with USDA records: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Swamp dewberry a high shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 4.5 to 7.0 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: Medium
Moisture use: High
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 4.5 to 7.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 140
Annual precipitation range: 30 to 70 inches
Minimum root depth: 12 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring
Fruit or seed: Black · Spring to Summer
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed, sprigs
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for RUHI. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Rubus sempervirens.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 477 counties across 23 states; the most are in Virginia (67), Pennsylvania (61), Michigan (48).

Other Rubus on Bloomipedia (14): Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry, Trailing blackberry, Salmonberry, Southern dewberry, Purple-flowered raspberry, Armenian blackberry, Rocky Mountain raspberry, Five-leaf dwarf bramble.

More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Toyon, Chokecherry, White meadowsweet, Ocean spray.

More West Virginia flowers

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in WV: May–July

Multiflora rose

Rosa multiflora

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in WV: May–June

Wineberry

Rubus phoenicolasius

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in WV

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RUHI.
iNaturalist, Rubus hispidus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Rubus hispidus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
West Virginia: West Virginia noxious weeds (W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5) (the rule abbreviates some names (e.g. “P. cuspidatum”); we expand them to match).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Rubus hispidus (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Kailey Alderfer via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.