Sawtooth Blackberry (Rubus argutus)

The Sawtooth Blackberry (Rubus argutus) is also known as the Southern Blackberry. Two species of Rubus – the Sawtooth Blackberry (Rubus argutus) and the Smooth Blackberry (Rubus canadensis) - grow in the southeastern United States. The Sawtooth Blackberry has thorns; the Smooth Blackberry does not.

This is one of the wildflowers we tend to overlook and treat as a weed. We don’t get good berries from these plants – probably because it’s too dry and we don’t water them. If anything, we hate them because of their thorns and mow them because they tend to spread and take over.

A bloom maturing

A mature bloom

Flowering is complete and the berry is just starting to develop

Berries in the making. They will turn red and then black when ripe

Sawtooth Blackberry (Rubus argutus) grows in the southeastern United States. It’s range overlaps with that of the Smooth Blackberry (Rubus canadensis) which grows in the eastern United States and Canada.
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Distribution Map:
United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database:
- Rubus argutus (Sawtooth Blackberry)
- Rubus canadensis (Smooth Blackberry)

Identification resources:
Southeastern Flora:
- Sawtooth Blackberry (Rubus argutus)
- Smooth Blackberry (Rubus canadensis)

Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower