Blackberry
Species: The 17 species of the genus Rubus include
blackberries and dewberries.
Description: Perennial woody plants or shrubs often with
thorny or bristly stems. Leaves are palmately compound. Flower
has five white or pink petals. Fruit is a cluster
of drupelets termed a “berry.” Dewberries
appear in the spring while blackberries appear in the summer.
Wildlife value: Most important plant to wildlife in
the Southeast. Deer browse the leaves and stems. Berries
are food for many mammals and songbirds. Thickets provide
cover and nesting sites for birds, and cover for rabbits
and other small mammals.
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