Dewberry has a low, vine-like growth habit and rarely reaches heights greater than 2 feet. Dewberry commonly has slender thorns with red hairs on the stem. Plants spread laterally from buds on lateral roots and rooting of shoot tips. Birds eat the berries and disperse seeds widely.
The flowers, which bloom in June, are white to pinkish in colour and develop into bright red, raspberry-like fruit in August.
The fruit is commonly used for a treatment for diarrhea and dysentery. Combination of the roots is treatment for coughs and also fevers.
Some people recommend cutting the berry on the stem and freezing it, to be used like a cherry in a drink. The dewberry has a delicious flavor and is considered to be superior to blackcurrants though the fruit is rather small and consists of just a few drupes. The fruit can be used for jellies, cold drinks, tea, and also salads. The fresh or dried leaves are used as a tea substitute.
The
plant and heath benefits of dewberries
