University of Massachusetts Amherst - Auxiliary Enterprises Sustainability
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red raspberry leaf

Rubus idaeus


Flavor Profile and Uses

  •  Highly medicinal leaves and delicious fruit, leaves taste faintly of fruit when brewed as a tea
  • Extremely nutritious, rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron, niacin, and magnesium that strengthen the body, build up the blood, and help restore energy 
  • Can help ease heavy bleeding during menstruation
  • Generally astringent and can help tonify tissues and treat ailments such as diarrhea

Identification

  • Can grow quite large (up to 5 feet tall) and sprawl infinitely wide if left to its own devices
  • Roots and crowns are perennial and the individual canes have a two year cycle
  • First year canes are green and produce vegetative growth, second year produce fruit then die
  • Leaves are dark green on top and a gorgeous silver on the underside, compound, and have small thorns on their branches which aren't very sharp
  • Can be found in full sun or partial shade in well-drained, loamy soil rich in organic matter

  Harvesting Instructions

  • Harvest leaves from green, first-year canes by using a sharp field knife to cut the canes down
  • Dry canes with leaves still attached by laying on a rack in a single layer in an area with good airflow
  • Once dried, remove leaves from the canes (wearing gloves to protect you from the briars)
  • Store dried, crumbled leaves in an airtight container (preferably with paper or desiccation packets added to absorb moisture and prevent molding over time)

Carpenter, Jeff, and Carpenter, Melanie. The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015.

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phone: 413-545-8682 | www.umassdining.com