Healing Herbs by Tina Sams

Author:Tina Sams
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Rockport Publishers
Published: 2015-04-01T16:00:00+00:00

Blackberry has a long history of use, particularly among Native Americans who used root and leaf decoctions for diarrhea. Some used it for hemorrhoids and lung conditions, as well. Ancient Greeks used blackberry for gout, so one of its many nicknames is the goutberry. Another is brambleberry, because of the wild growth habit of the blackberry. The canes can grow over 15 feet (5 m) long in a single season, and the brambles sometimes take over huge areas of several acres.

Blackberry leaf and root bark are both considered to be the medicinal parts of the plant. The leaf and root bark are astringent, diuretic, and rich in tannins. They have long been used in cases of diarrhea and for oral (mucous membrane) inflammation. Hemorrhoids respond to external use of blackberry in the form of a compress or wash.

My grandfather was not much of a drinker, but blackberry brandy was a favorite. I make my own version by filling a jar with fresh, ripe berries, a few leaves, and some root bark, and then covering it completely with brandy for at least several weeks before straining it for use.

Be sure to gather and dry some wild berries and leaves for wild teas full of vitamins and flavor over the winter. The leaves are easy to dry on a screen. Make sure they are completely dry before storing. The berries can be a little tougher, though. I usually put them in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment, and put them in the oven on “warm” for several hours until they have started to dry. They contain a lot of water, so if they aren’t dried carefully and quickly, they can mold. The warm oven method has not failed me yet.

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