Herbs, Plants, Trees and Roots | January, 2012

You entered Bramble, the more common name is...

A decoction of the leaves is useful as a gargle in treating thrush.  The astringent blackberry root is used as a treatment for diarrhea and dysentery.  Young leaves may be boiled for tea to treat a sore throat. Berries once ripened to a dark purple almost black are delicious raw or cooked. Blackberry leaves and roots are a long-standing home remedy for cholera, anemia, an aid to regulates menses, diarrhea and dysentery. Prolonged use of the tea is also beneficial for enteritis, chronic appendicitis, stomach upset, and leukorrhea. It is said to have expectorant properties as well. A tea made from the dried root can be used for dropsy.  The fruit and juice are taken for anemia. A standard infusion can be applied externally as a lotion, and is said by some to cure psoriasis and scaly conditions of the skin.

Blackberry

SCIENTIFIC NAME:
(Rubus fructicosus)


A deciduous Shrub growing to 9 ft by 9 ft at a fast rate the Rubus fructicosus is a hardy shrub that can withstand frost. It flowers from May to September with white or pale pink five petal blooms. The fruit is an aggregate of black drupelets collectively called the blackberry. Grows in dry or sandy soil and can be found growing wild along woodland edges, in hedgerows, and along roadsides in the eastern half of the United States.



Common Names:

Bramble, Thimbleberry, Wild Blackberries, Black-caps


Blackberry

Uses:

A decoction of the leaves is useful as a gargle in treating thrush. The astringent blackberry root is used as a treatment for diarrhea and dysentery. Young leaves may be boiled for tea to treat a sore throat. Berries once ripened to a dark purple almost black are delicious raw or cooked. Blackberry leaves and roots are a long-standing home remedy for cholera, anemia, an aid to regulates menses, diarrhea and dysentery. Prolonged use of the tea is also beneficial for enteritis, chronic appendicitis, stomach upset, and leukorrhea. It is said to have expectorant properties as well. A tea made from the dried root can be used for dropsy. The fruit and juice are taken for anemia. A standard infusion can be applied externally as a lotion, and is said by some to cure psoriasis and scaly conditions of the skin.



Applications:

Decoction:
use 1 tsp. root or leaves to 1 cup water. Take 1 to 2 cups a day.

Tincture:
take 15-40 drops in water, as needed.

Infusion:
use 1 tsp. dried leaves to 1/2 cup water. Take 1/2 to 1 cup a day.

Tea:
Drink as needed.


Warnings:

Treatment should not exceed 7 days, after which a 5 day break should be taken.

With any herb, there is the risk of an allergic reaction. Small children and pregnant women should use additional caution when considering the use of herbal remedies.