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2
Rubus idaeus - L.

Common Name
Raspberry, American red
raspberry, Grayleaf red raspberry
Family Rosaceae
Synonyms
Known Hazards None known
Habitats
Moist neglected land, hedgerows
and woodland edges[7, 11, 244].
Range
Europe, including Britain, from
Iceland south and east to Spain
and temperate Asia.
Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care
Summary
Bloom Color: Green, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring,
Mid spring. Form: Spreading or horizontal, Upright or erect.
Physical Characteristics

Rubus idaeus is a deciduous Shrub growing to 2 m (6ft) by 1.5 m (5ft) at a
medium rate.
It is hardy to zone (UK) 3 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf 11-Apr It is in flower
from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Jul to September. The flowers are
hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees,
flies, self.The plant is self-fertile.
USDA hardiness zone : 4-7
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers
well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can
grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Edible Uses


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Edible Parts: Fruit; Root; Stem.
Edible Uses: Coffee; Tea.
Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 5, 7, 61]. Delicious when eaten out of hand, the fruit is also used in pies, preserves etc[183]. Root - cooked. The root, which should be neither
too young nor too old, requires a lot of boiling[7]. Young shoots - peeled and eaten raw or cooked like asparagus[172]. They are harvested as they emerge through
the ground in the spring and whilst they are still tender. A herb tea is made from the dried leaves[21, 46, 183]. Another report says that a type of tea made from
raspberry and blackberry leaves is an excellent coffee substitute[7].
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant
medicinally.
Antiinflammatory; Astringent; Birthing aid; Cardiac; Decongestant; Oxytoxic.
Antiemetic[13, 165]. The leaves and roots are anti-inflammatory, astringent, decongestant, ophthalmic, oxytocic and stimulant[4, 13, 165, 222, 254]. A tea made from
them is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, as a tonic for the uterus to strengthen pregnant women, and as an aid in childbirth[4, 222, 257]. The tea has also been
shown as effective in relieving painful menstrual cramps[222]. The active ingredients both stimulate and relax the uterus[222]. They can be used during the last three
months of pregnancy and during childbirth, but should not be used earlier[238]. Externally, the leaves and roots are used as a gargle to treat tonsillitis and mouth
inflammations, as a poultice and wash to treat sores, conjunctivitis, minor wounds, burns and varicose ulcers[238, 257]. The leaves are harvested in the summer
and dried for later use[9]. The fruit is antiscorbutic and diuretic[7]. Fresh raspberry juice, mixed with a little honey, makes an excellent refrigerant beverage to be taken
in the heat of a fever[21]. Made into a syrup, it is said to have a beneficial effect on the heart[21].
Other Uses
Cosmetic; Dye; Paper.
A purple to dull blue dye is obtained from the fruit[168]. A fibre obtained from the stems is used in making paper[189]. The stems are harvested in the summer after
the fruit has been eaten, the leaves are removed and the stems are steamed until the fibres can be stripped. The fibres are cooked for 2 hours with lye and then hand
beaten with mallets or ball milled for 3 hours. The paper is light brown in colour[189]. A decongestant face-mask made from the fruit is used cosmetically to soothe
reddened skin[7].
Cultivation details
Landscape Uses:Erosion control, Foundation, Ground cover, Massing, Rock garden, Seashore. Prefers a good deep well-drained loamy soil on the acid side[1, 34].
Dislikes very heavy soils[1, 200], light soils[4] and alkaline soils[200]. Prefers an open position but tolerates some shade[1]. Plants crop less well when grown in the
shade of trees though they do well in the open on a north-facing slope[200]. Requires a position sheltered from strong winds[200]. Prefers a pH between 6 and
6.5[200]. Raspberries are frequently cultivated in temperate regions of the world, both in the garden and commercially, for their edible fruit. There are many named
varieties able to supply fresh fruit from mid-summer to the autumn[1, 200]. High costs of picking the fruit means that little is actually sold fresh, most of the
commercially cultivated crops either being used for preserves or grown for the 'Pick Your Own' trade. All the cultivars are self-fertile[200]. This species has biennial
stems, it produces a number of new stems each year from the perennial rootstock, these stems fruit in their second year and then die[200]. It is best not to grow
raspberries near blackberries or potatoes[18]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200]. Special Features: Not North American native,
Attracts butterflies, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagation
Seed - requires stratification and is best sown in early autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed requires one month stratification at about 3c 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[200]. Tip layering in July. Plant out in autumn. Division in early spring or just before
leaf-fall in the autumn[200].
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Expert comment


Author
L.

Botanical References
1117200

Links / References
[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[5]Mabey. R. Food for Free.
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
[7]Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[9]Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants.
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.

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A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[13]Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants.
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
[18]Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants.
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[34]Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants.
Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.
[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual
reader.
[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the
uses. Not for the casual reader.
[165]Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.
[168]Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants.
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[172]Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American
nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[189]Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking.
A good practical section on how to make paper on a small scale plus details of about 75 species (quite a few of them tropical) that can be used.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[222]Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field
guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main
quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[244]Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.
[254]Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not
for the casual reader.
Readers comment

Elizabeth H.
Sarah Jumel Fri Feb 2 2007
People wanting to grow this in warmer climates can try Caroline, Dinkum, and Autumn Bliss. All fruited (in containers) for me in New Orleans.
Elizabeth H.
Boris Wed Jun 20 2007
You can eat the young leaves - raw or cooked -, too.
Elizabeth H.
Veronica Mon Jun 8 2009
This is the only remedy (pharmaceuticals included)that has ever eased my menstrual cramps in over 25 years.
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