Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Other names: blackberry: bly, blackcap, scaldberry; raspberry: hindberry, raspbis; both: brambleberry, bramble-kite, brameberry, caneberry
Name meaning: The name bramble means rambling, and it is usually used for the blackberry group due to their creeping growth, but it is also used for the genus Rubus as a whole. Raspberry refers to the thorns, which are somewhat rough and scratchy in some species, and blackberry of course refers to the color of the berries in the blackberry group. The Latin name Rubus means "red", referring to the red berries of many of the species.
Origin: There are hundreds of species of Rubus found all over the world. There are many species native to North America, but non-natives are also becoming prevalent, particularly wineberry (R. phoenicolasius), which was only recently introduced from Japan and is now extremely common in the eastern states.
Range: Bramble grows on every continent except Antarctica, and grows nearly everywhere except the coldest regions.
Habitat: Habitat varies by species, but in general bramble prefers edges of meadows and fields. Raspberries and blackberries are also widely cultivated for their fruit.
Life cycle: Perennial
Description: The Rubus genus contains hundreds of species of blackberries and raspberries, and they all produce delicious edible berries. Rubus plants are thorny shrubs with five-petaled flowers, alternate compound leaves usually containing three toothed leaflets, sometimes five, and round or oval berries made up of many tiny fruitlets, each containing a small seed. There is a great deal of variation. While most species are erect with long curving branches or canes, some species are low and creeping. While nearly all species have white flowers, some species, such as purple flowering raspberry (R. odoratus), have pink or purple flowers. Raspberries are usually red, though the black raspberry has black fruit, and the canes are usually covered in dense prickles. The undersides of the leaves are soft and white. Raspberries ripen in early summer, usually in June. Blackberries have black fruit with larger fruitlets, and the canes usually have fewer, larger thorns than raspberry bushes. Blackberries generally ripen later in the season, often around July. Wineberry, which belongs to the raspberry group, has three leaflets, with the center one being larger and broader, and the berries develop inside prickly sheaths.
Similar plants: Some creeping bramble species such as dewberry can be confused with wild strawberry (Fragaria spp.); wild strawberry has more rounded leaflets with even teeth, and the flowers grow on separate stalks from the leaves, while dewberry has slightly longer leaflets with more uneven teeth, and usually the leaves and flowers are found on the same stalk. Distinguishing the two can be difficult, but fortunately there's little harm in misidentification since they're both perfectly edible. Bramble can also be confused with rose (Rosa spp.), which like bramble has five petals, compound leaves, and thorns, but bramble lacks the distinctive stipules at the base of the rose leaf.

Uses

Edible: Bramble berries are probably the best-known wild food, and nearly everyone has eaten a raspberry or blackberry from the wild at some point. There are many uses of the semi-sweet, semi-tart all around delicious berries. In addition to eating the fresh fruit, you can also make them into jelly, jam, perserves, pie, wine, syrup, and juice. For jam, jelly, and preserves, the berries require extra pectin. Syrup can be made by boiling 2 cups of sugar, and 1/2 cup of water, and then adding 2 cups of berries and cooking for 5 minutes, then straining out the pulp and seeds. Juice can be extracted by squeezing the berries or using a juicer, and is especially good mixed with other fruit juices, such as grape juice and lemonade. The leaves can be dried and made into tea, and the young shoots of blackberry can be added to salads fresh.

Medicinal: The leaves (particularly of the raspberry group), dried and steeped for tea are excellent for menstrual cramps. The tea is also taken twice a day as a tonic during pregnancy, and used to aid in childbirth. Research confirms that bramble leaves stimulate the uterus. The tea is also used for diarrhea and dysentary, and as a diuretic. Externally, the tea is used as an astringent for sores, ulcers, hemorrhoids, and boils. The juice of the berries has been used for diarrhea and canker sores, to lessen menstrual flow, to stop vomiting, to ease digestion, and to dissolve the tartar on teeth. The root tea was used for diarrhea, back pain, gonorrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, and as a tonic for women. Studies show the leaves may lower blood sugar, which makes it potentially useful in diabetes.

Utilitarian: Straight pieces of cane are stripped of their thorns and used to make arrow shafts, or used as hand drills for fire starting. Raspberries are used to make a red dye, and blackberries are used to make a purple dye. The bushes are used as natural fences.

Magical: Raspberry branches are hung near doors and windows for protection, especially after a death in the family, and the fruit is eaten to induce love. Blackberry pies are traditionally baked on Lughnasadh/Lammas (August 1). Crawling under the arch of a blackberry branch backwards and forwards three times is done to cure illnesses. The Iroquois used the root and leaves of blackberry for a number of magical uses, including to make their dogs better hunters and to prevent adultery.

Warning: While the tea is relatively safe during pregnancy, some sources suggest that it shouldn't be used until the third trimester to avoid the risk of miscarriage, and that it should be kept within the recommended dosage. Consult your doctor before using bramble during pregnancy or labor.

Where to find bramble

In the wild, bramble is usually found on the edge of meadows and fields. In the eastern US, you're most likely to find wineberries rather than a native species, especially in urban areas. The fruit ripens in early summer, but you'll want to get it as early as possible before it all disappears. Blackberries and raspberries are easy to buy, particularly in the summer, though I prefer the taste of wild berries. The leaves are also sold in many natural food stores, and you can buy it online from Frontier or other herb suppliers. If you want to grow bramble, there is lots of information. This article is a good start.

Links

Can raspberry leaf tea help to ease labour?
Wikipedia: Bramble
Foraging with the Wildman: Black Raspberry, Wineberry
Wild Flowers of Minnesota's Iron Range: Dewberry, Raspberry, Wild Red, Thimbleberry
Blackberry Folk Lore
Raspberries for the Home Garden
Plants for a Future: Black Raspberry, Wineberry, Raspberry, Blackberry
Winemaking: Black Raspberry, Cloudberry, Red Raspberry, Thimbleberry
Mark's Fruit Crops: Blackberries and Raspberries
Botanical.com: Blackberry, Raspberry
Nature's Herbal: Blackberry
Herbs 2000: Raspberry
An Illustrated Herbal: Blackberry, Raspberry
Berry Plants for Women's Nutrition & Medicine: Raspberry, Blackberry
The Herbal Encyclopedia: B (scroll down to blackberry)
The Herbal Encyclopedia: R (scroll down to raspberry)
Capricorn's Lair: Raspberry Leaves
USDA Plant Profile: Rubus
PCA Alien Plant Working Group: Wineberry