Herb: Dwarf Red Blackberry


Latin name: Rubus pubescens


Synonyms: Rubus triflorus


Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)



Medicinal use of Dwarf Red Blackberry:

The leaves are astringent and stomachic. A decoction has been to treat the vomiting of blood and blood-spitting. An infusion of the plant, combined with wild strawberry (Fragaria spp), has been used to treat irregular menstruation.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
50 cm
(1 foot)

Habitat of the herb:

Damp slopes, rocky shores, low thickets etc.

Edible parts of Dwarf Red Blackberry:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Delicate and delicious. The fruit can be mashed, made into small cakes then dried and stored for later use.

Other uses of the herb:

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

Propagation of Dwarf Red 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:

Damp slopes, rocky shores, low thickets etc.

Known hazards of Rubus pubescens:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.