Rubus ursinus

454-010 Rubus ursinus ( California dewberry )
Joy Creek Photo Archive (c) all rights reserved	Rubus ursinus is a rambling West Coast native that has been used in the development of many well-known cane-berries like Loganberry and Boysenberry. Our collection comes from a local mountainous forest at about 3000 feet in elevation. There, the woody shrub is diminutive, only about 8 inches in height, and rambles in the shade with many glistening dark fruits. We grow this closer to sea-level in full sun and the shrub has gotten taller and happier. We have found that, like all cane-berries, it must be managed to keep it in bounds and to get the most of the delicious, small but intense berries. The berries form on two-year old wood. Rubus ursinus is dioecious, meaning that it has male and female plants. Because our plants are seedlings and have not flowered, we do not know their sexes. Even non-fruiting plants make good candidates for holding the soil on difficult part-shade hillside or in all native gardens. The foliage is attractive but please remember that it is prickly. May to June 1 ft. x 10 ft. White flowers *Sun, Part Shade Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9*