Blackberry Medicinal Uses…
Blackberries are one of the few wild plants that most children are still taught how to pick.
They’re delicious in smoothies, sticky puddings, or eaten straight from the bush.
But the blackberry plant is so much more than just a tasty fruit.
The whole plant—berries, leaves, and even roots—has healing potential.
In this guide, we’ll explore the medicinal uses of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), also known as “bramble”.
You’ll learn how to identify it, forage safely, and make your own herbal remedies.
By the end, you’ll see blackberry in a whole new light.
🖤 Know someone who loves foraging? Send them this blackberry guide! 🖤
Blackberry Medicinal Uses
1. Digestive Health and Diarrhoea Relief
Blackberry leaf has long been used to soothe the gut.
The leaves contain tannins—compounds with a drying, tightening effect.
This makes them especially helpful for diarrhoea and mild inflammation in the digestive tract.
Blackberry root has a stronger astringent effect than the leaves1, and can be tinctured in red wine for even more of a tannin boost.
How Blackberry Supports Digestion:
– Tannins tone and tighten the gut lining
– Helps reduce diarrhoea and calm irritated bowels
– Mildly antibacterial, supporting gut health
How to Use Blackberry for Digestion:
Blackberry Leaf Tea:
Steep 1–2 teaspoons of dried leaf in hot water for 10–15 minutes. Drink up to three times a day when needed.
Blackberry Root Decoction:
Simmer a teaspoon of chopped root in water for 20 minutes. Strain and sip slowly.
2. Mouth and Throat Care
Blackberry extract has been studied to have protective effects on oral health2.
Blackberry leaf is also one of the best herbs for mouth health.
Its astringent, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects make it ideal for sore throats, oral thrush, mouth ulcers, and bleeding gums.
It helps tighten the tissues, reduce swelling, and fight infection.
You can enjoy the preventative oral health benefits of blackberry leaf tea by drinking it regularly.
Blackberry leaf is often used as a base in herbal formulas due to its pleasant taste.
🖤 Tannin-rich, blackberry leaf tea makes a great caffeine-free substitute for black tea!
How Blackberry Leaf Helps the Mouth and Throat:
– Tightens sore, inflamed tissues
– Reduces bleeding and irritation in the gums
– Helps fight bacteria in the mouth
How to Use Blackberry Leaf for Mouth and Throat Health:
Gargle or Mouth Rinse:
Make a strong tea from the dried leaves. Let it cool, then swish it in your mouth or gargle several times a day.
Tea for Sore Throats:
Drink warm blackberry leaf tea with a little honey to soothe irritation.
3. Skin Healing and Wound Support
Blackberry leaves can be used on the skin to help wounds heal.
Their astringent nature helps stop minor bleeding and draw the tissues together.
They also reduce swelling and fight infection. Blackberry leaf is also perfect for skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne
You can use a cooled tea or crushed fresh blackberry leaves as a simple poultice3.
How Blackberry Helps the Skin:
– Helps stop minor bleeding
– Supports wound healing and reduces infection risk
– Eases skin irritation and inflammation
How to Use Blackberry for Skin Healing:
Poultice:
Crush clean fresh leaves and apply directly to small cuts or insect bites.
Compress:
Soak a clean cloth in cooled blackberry leaf tea and lay it over irritated skin.
4. Menstrual and Uterine Support
Blackberry leaf tea has also been used traditionally to ease heavy periods.
Its tightening effect can help reduce heavy menstrual flow and ease cramping.
It is sometimes combined with raspberry leaf for extra support.
How Blackberry Supports the Womb:
– Reduces heavy menstrual bleeding
– Eases cramping and pelvic discomfort
– Tones the uterine tissue
How to Use Blackberry for Menstrual Support:
Blackberry Leaf Infusion:
Drink 2 to 3 cups a day during your period to help reduce heaviness and discomfort.
5. Immune Support and Cold Care
Blackberries and leaves are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that support the immune system and reduce inflammation.
Blackberries are rich in polyphenols, which have been shown to have antiviral properties in some studies4, potentially helping to fight off influenza viruses.
Drinking blackberry tea or eating blackberries when you feel a cold coming on may help shorten its length.
Blackberry leaf tea can also soothe a sore throat thanks to astringent tannins.
How Blackberry Supports Immunity:
– Rich in vitamin C to boost immune function
– Antioxidants help protect cells from damage
– Helps the body fight colds and minor infections
How to Use Blackberry for Immune Health:
Fresh Berries:
Eat blackberries during the cold season for a natural vitamin C boost.
Blackberry Leaf Tea:
Drink a warm cup once or twice daily to support immune defence.
Blackberry Constituents
Blackberries are full of helpful plant compounds, including:
🖤 Anthocyanins: These give blackberries their dark purple colour and help protect your cells from damage (they’re strong antioxidants)
🖤 Vitamin C: Helps your immune system work well and keeps skin healthy
🖤 Ellagic Acid: A natural antioxidant that may help protect your body from stress and support healthy ageing
🖤 Tannins: These give blackberries their slightly sharp taste and may help soothe upset stomachs and reduce swelling in the body
🖤 Vitamin K: Important for healthy bones and blood clotting (helps stop bleeding when you get a cut)
🖤 Fibre: Helps with digestion and keeps your gut happy and regular
Unripe blackberries are red:
Foraging for Blackberry
Blackberries are one of our most common wild plants.
Once you know what to look for, they’re easy to spot!
They can often be found in patches in hedgerows, woodland edges, and overgrown paths.
Habitat and Growing Conditions:
– Found in sunny hedgerows, woodland clearings, and scrubby fields
– Prefers well-drained soil and can thrive in both sun and part-shade
– Flowers appear from late spring through early summer, attracting bees and butterflies
When to Harvest:
– Blackberries are usually ready from late summer into early autumn
– Harvest when the berries are dark purple-black, plump, and come off easily in your hand
– Blackberry leaves are freshest in spring or early summer, but you can harvest them any time if you want to
Blackberry Lookalikes
Blackberry is part of the Rubus family, so it has a few relatives that look similar:
Dewberry (Rubus caesius):
– Low-growing with trailing stems that often lie along the ground
– Berries may have a bluish or dusty coating
– Thorns are usually smaller and the stems may feel more delicate
Wild Raspberry (Rubus idaeus):
– Grows upright in canes, not trailing
– Undersides of raspberry leaves are a pale white-silvery-green colour
– Fruits are red or golden, not black; raspberry fruits are hollow inside when picked; blackberries are solid
Key Identifiers of Blackberry
To help you confidently identify wild blackberry, look for:
🖤 Leaves made of 3 to 5 toothed leaflets, dark green and slightly rough, with lighter green underside
🖤 Strong, arching stems covered in sharp thorns
🖤 Flowers with five pale pink or white petals (blooms in late spring and early summer)
🖤 Deep purple-black berries made of many small drupelets, shiny and firm
🖤 Solid fruit (not hollow like raspberries) that grows on prickly canes, often forming large tangled patches
Blackberry Growing Tips
Blackberries are one of the easiest berries to grow at home. They’re hardy, fast-growing, and don’t need much fuss. Here’s how to help them thrive:
🖤 Choose the Right Spot
Pick a sunny place with some shelter from strong winds. Blackberries like full sun but can also manage in light shade
🖤 Soil Needs
Blackberries grow best in well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter. If your soil is heavy clay, mix in compost or plant them in raised beds
🖤 Planting Time
The best time to plant blackberry canes is in late autumn or early spring, while they’re dormant. Blackberry plants are tough, though, and can be planted at any time of year if you need to, just give them a lot of water while they’re settling in if it’s hot
🖤 Support Their Growth
Most blackberries grow on long, arching canes. Train blackberry plants on a trellis, wires, or a fence to keep them upright and make picking easier
🖤 Watering and Mulching
Water young plants well in dry spells. Once they’re established, they don’t need much extra water. Add mulch (like straw or leaf mould) around the base to keep weeds down and the roots cool
🖤 Pruning
After fruiting, cut back the canes that have produced blackberries—they won’t fruit again. Tie in the new canes for next year’s crop
🖤 Watch for Thorns
Some blackberry varieties have very sharp thorns. If you want an easier time picking, look for thornless blackberry types like ‘Loch Ness’ or ‘Triple Crown’
Culinary Uses of Blackberry
Blackberries can be frozen in big batches to use year-round.
If you don’t want to risk them freezing together in a big clump, freeze separately on baking trays before putting them in a freezer bag.
Here are some creative ways to incorporate blackberries into your cooking:
Blackberry Sauce:
Make a deliciously sweet and tangy sauce to drizzle over desserts, pancakes, or grilled meats by simmering blackberries with sugar and lemon juice
Blackberry Muffins:
Add fresh blackberries to your muffin batter for a fruity twist on this classic breakfast treat
Blackberry Compote:
Simmer blackberries with a bit of honey or maple syrup to create a rich compote, perfect for topping yoghurt, oatmeal, or waffles
Blackberry & Goat Cheese Salad:
Combine fresh blackberries with goat cheese, mixed greens, and a balsamic glaze for a light, savoury-sweet salad
Blackberry Iced Tea:
Brew some black tea, then add fresh blackberries and mint for a refreshing, fruity iced tea
Blackberry Smoothie:
My go-to is to chuck a handful of frozen blackberries into whichever smoothie I’m making today
Classification of Blackberry
Taxonomy:
Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) belongs to the rose family of plants (Rosaceae).
This large family also includes roses, strawberries, and raspberries.
Many plants in this group have edible fruits and flowers, and often grow as shrubs with thorns or trailing vines.
Etymology:
The name Rubus comes from Latin, meaning “bramble” or “thorny bush.”
Fruticosus means “shrubby” or “bushy,” describing how the blackberry plant grows.
Fun facts about Blackberry
🖤 In folklore, blackberries were believed to have magical properties that could protect homes from witches and evil spirits. It was even said that vampires would be distracted if they encountered a blackberry bush, as they couldn’t resist counting the berries one by one, which would delay their sinister plans.
🖤 The prickly thorns of blackberry bushes were once used as a natural barrier to keep unwanted creatures out. In fact, many farmers planted them along the edges of fields to prevent wild animals from raiding their crops, and even to protect against larger predators like wolves.
🖤 Blackberry stems can be used to create natural twine by twisting blackberry stems together to make strong, rudimentary ropes. The stems can also be woven to make baskets.
🖤 There are over 375 species of blackberry worldwide! Because they hybridise so easily in the wild, new natural varieties often appear – making blackberries one of the trickiest plants for botanists to categorise. Some experts joke that identifying blackberry species is like trying to count clouds!
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References
- Blackberry by Botanical.com ↩︎
- Blackberries: Health Benefits and Nutrition Information by healthline ↩︎
- Blackberry by herbal reality ↩︎
- Antiviral Effects of Blackberry Extract Against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 by NLM ↩︎
Thank you for commenting
The goal of these “Medicinal Uses” posts is to provide you with detailed insights into each plant’s healing qualities.
I’ll keep updating and expanding these articles.
If you notice anything I’ve overlooked, let me know, and I’ll be sure to include it.
Thanks for contributing to making this free resource even better! 😊
