Rubus trivialis

A trailing, low-arching bramble with slender, reddish, round canes covered with numerous small prickles. Stems reclining (stems round not with ridges).

Repeated mowing is usually an effective method of control. This must be done at least once a year for up to five years, but should be done two to three time annually for better control. Care should be taken to not adversly affect native plants. Timing can be key. Mowing in combination with hand removal of the root crowns works very well, but is labor intensive. Paintbrush application of the herbicide Roundup to the freshly cut ends of the stems in the fall can be very effective due probably to fall translocation of nutrients into its roots.

The following information for the genus Rubus: Animals that eat its fruit: Attwater's prairie chicken. Bobwhite quail, Wild turkey, Woodcock, Redwing blackbird, Indigo bunting, Cardinal, Catbird, Yellow-breasted chat, Common crow, Fish crow, Yellow-shafted flicker, Crested flycatcher, Purple grackle, Blue jay, Kingbird, Mockingbird, Phoebe, Robin, Fox sparrow, Henslow sparrow, White-throated sparrow, Summer tanager, Brown thrasher, Hermit thrush, Red-eyed towhee, Red-eyed vireo, White-eyed vireo, Cedar waxwing, Red-headed woodpecker, Meadow mouse, White-footed mouse. Animals that eat its fruit and stems: Armadillo, Black bear, Gray fox, Red fox, Opossum, Cottontail rabbit, Eastern skunk, Fox squirrel, Gray squirrel, Red squirrel. Animals that eat its stems and foliage: White-tailed deer (Martin et al. 1951).

The name "eronce" used by the Acadians of south Louisiana, is derived from "ronce", the traditional French name for the blackberry. The fruit is called "mure", "mure de ronce" or "mure taintante". Mulberries are also called mure (Holmes 1990). Southern dewberry grows in damp and sandy thickets, pastures, and along fencerows throughout Louisiana and east Texas. the berries are a favorite food of the Acadians of south Louisiana and are used in pies, jellies, jams and wine. Acadians are famous for dividing the year into seasons for their favorite foods and spring is "blackberry season". The leaves and rootbark are used to make tea (Chase 1965).

Streambanks, roadsides, thickets, old fields.