Herb: Yankee Blackberry


Latin name: Rubus frondosus


Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)



Medicinal use of Yankee Blackberry:

A decoction of the root has been used to restore the menstrual flow and to treat lung problems.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
80 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
June

Habitat of the herb:

Thickets and borders of woods. Mainly found in dry soils.

Edible parts of Yankee Blackberry:

Fruit - raw or cooked. The berries have been cooked, shaped into little cakes and then dried for winter use.

Other uses of the herb:

A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit.

Propagation of Yankee Blackberry:

Seed - requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3°C and is best sown as early as possible in the year. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before leaf-fall in the autumn.

Cultivation of the herb:

Thickets and borders of woods. Mainly found in dry soils.

Known hazards of Rubus frondosus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.