Sand Blackberry

Rubus caesius

Not native to Kentucky

Plant this instead

Your county

Choose your county to list local plants first.

Carolina Rose
Rosa carolina
Similar growth form, height, light

More natives for your garden

Check a whole list of plants

Photographs are not available yet.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

140CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Rubus

Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
Agrotis vetustaOld Man Dart
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth

Show all 140

Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Anaplectoides prasinaGreen Arches Dart
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Ancylis floridanaStrawberry Leafroller
Ancylis muricanaRed-Headed Ancylis
Anisota senatoriaOrange-Tipped Oakworm Moth, Orangestriped Oakworm
Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Cenopis directanaChokecherry Leafroller Moth
Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
Cepphis decolorariaDark Scallop Moth
Cerastis tenebriferaReddish Speckled Dart
Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
Choristoneura obsoletanaObsolete Leafroller
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Coptotriche aeneaBlackberry Leafminer Moth
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Dysstroma truncataMarbled Carpet
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Epinotia medioviridanaRaspberry Leafroller
Erastria colorariaBroad-Lined Erastria
Erastria cruentariaThin-Lined Erastria
Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
Eueretagrotis perattentusTwo-Spot Dart
Eulia ministranaFerruginous Eulia
Euphyia intermediataSharp-Angled Carpet Moth, The Intermediate
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
Feltia subgothicaSubgothic Dart
Geina tenuidactylaHimmelman's Plume Moth
Habrosyne scriptaLettered Habrosyne
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
Hedya separatanaPink-Washed Leafroller Moth
Herpetogramma aeglealisSerpentine Webworm
Herpetogramma bipunctalisSouthern Beet Webworm, Two-Spotted Herpetogramma
Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
Lacanobia grandisGrand Arches
Lascoria ambigualisAmbiguous Moth, Ambiguous Litter Moth
Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
Melanchra assimilisBlack Arches
Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Mesoleuca ruficillataWhite-Ribboned Carpet, Red-fringed Carpet
Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
Olethreutes furfuranumWoolly-Backed Moth
Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
Operophtera bruceataBruce Spanworm
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthodes majusculaRustic Quaker, Rustic Groundcat
Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Pennisetia marginatumRaspberry Crown Borer Moth
Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
Phlogophora irisOlive Angle Shades
Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
Pyrgus centaureaeGrizzled Skipper
Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
Selenia alcipheariaNorthern Selenia, Northern Thorn
Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
Sparganothis unifascianaOne-Lined Sparganothis
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
Spodoptera dolichosSweetpotato Armyworm, Dolichos Armyworm, Large Cotton Armyworm
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
Sutyna privataCheckered Sallow, Private Sallow
Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
Synchlora frondariaSouthern Emerald
Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Trichordestra legitimaStriped Garden Caterpillar Moth
Xanthorhoe lacustrataToothed Brown Carpet
Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
Xestia normanianusNorman's Dart
Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
Zale lunataLunate Zale
Zale minereaColorful Zale
Ectoedemia rubifoliella
Menesta tortriciformella
Monochroa disconotella
Olethreutes concinnana
Scythris basilaris
Stigmella villosella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

1Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Rubus

Andrena melanochroa

Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

48BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Rubus

Bombycilla cedrorumCedar Waxwing
Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
Aix sponsaWood Duck
Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
Catharus fuscescensVeery
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush

Show all 48

Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
Contopus virensEastern Wood-Pewee
Corvus caurinusNorthwestern Crow
Cyanocitta stelleriSteller's Jay
Dryocopus pileatusPileated Woodpecker
Empidonax alnorum/trailliiAlder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)
Empidonax difficilisPacific-slope Flycatcher
Euphagus cyanocephalusBrewer's Blackbird
Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
Icterus bullockiiBullock's Oriole
Ixoreus naeviusVaried Thrush
Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan
Melanerpes erythrocephalusRed-headed Woodpecker
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
Passerina cyaneaIndigo Bunting
Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
Perdix perdixGray Partridge
Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
Piranga ludovicianaWestern Tanager
Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
Sayornis nigricansBlack Phoebe
Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
Toxostoma redivivumCalifornia Thrasher
Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Rosaceae

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Height · “1–3 feet” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · Minnesota Wildflowers

Also known as

European Dew Berry; European Dewberry; Sand Blackberry; Sand Blackm Berry

Conservation status

Kentucky rank	SNA
Global rank	Not available
KY status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source