Raspberry

(Rubus Idaeus)

Description: An under-shrub with woody stems 1-2 m (3-6 ft) high, armed with thin, straight prickles.
The stems are biennial.
In the first year they produce leaves only; these are unequally pinnate with 3-5-7 leaflets, covered with silvery-white down underneath.
The second year, flowering and leaf-bearing, short shoots arc formed from the buds on the upright long shoot which dies down the following year.
In the meantime, new long shoots have been formed from the root-stock of the plant.
The flowers are small and white in drooping clusters.
The raspberry has a compound fruit consisting of a number of red carpels on a conical receptacle from which it separates when ripe.
Flowers in June.

Parts used: Leaves, fruits

Habitat: Grows throughout Eurasia and North America.
Common in woods and on heaths; grown in gardens for its fruit.

Actions: Astringent, digestive remedy, diuretic, laxative, preparative remedy for childbirth, stimulant, tonic, uterine relaxant

Medicinal Uses: Popular as a folk remedy for painful and profuse menstruation and as a tonic when you're pregnant.
Also valued traditionally as an astringent treatment for diarrhoea, stomach ailments, colds, mouth sores and inflamed mucous membranes of the throat.

Raspberry leaf is probably best known as a supportive treatment for childbirth, helping to tonify and strengthen the womb in the weeks before the birth is due.
The tea is generally taken for eight weeks before the confinement and can also be sipped during labour

The leaves are also astringent, cleansing and will stimulate the digestion so are often included in morning tisanes as a refreshing way to start the day.
As a uterine relaxant and tonic, raspberry leaf is also recommended for period pain.
Its astringency makes it an ideal gargle for sore throats or a useful addition to remedies for diarrhoea and piles.

The fruits also have a place in the medicine chest: they are laxative, diuretic, diaphoretic and cleansing and are a traditional cooling remedy for fevers and cystitis.
Raspberries have also been recommended for indigestion and rheumatic pains while a vinegar made from them was once a popular folk remedy for coughs - used to "cut the phlegm".

Raspberry vinegar can be made by soaking 500 g of raspberries in 1 litre of wine vinegar for two weeks.
The thick red liquid produced on straining can then be added to cough syrups or diluted with water as a gargle for sore throats.
It also makes a pleasant salad dressing mixed with olive or walnut oil.

Forms available: Teas, capsules, tablets, tinctures.

Caution: Raspberry is a mild uterine stimulant. Pregnant women should consult a qualified health-care practitioner before using it.