Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus) · Herb Profile

At a glance

Botanical name: Rubus idaeus
Family: Rosaceae
Part used: Leaf
Taste: Astringent, Sour
Temperature: Cool
Moisture: Dry

No pre-1900 source found for this reading. One old writer only supposes it, by comparison to the bramble, and the other page is too damaged in the scan to read.

Safety at a glance

In pregnancy

Generally considered safe

While breastfeeding

Traditional postpartum tonic — compatible with breastfeeding; supports uterine involution.

For children

Safe in low culinary amounts; avoid high doses under 12

Cautions

Avoid therapeutic doses in first trimester; use with caution pre-term without supervision

General contraindications

Avoid first trimester; 3rd trimester under supervision widely used

Stewardship

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) leaf is cultivated widely; sustainable to harvest from garden bushes. Stewardship: the pregnancy herb par excellence — teach it as the model of traditional women's herbalism.

In the traditional record

Raspberry Leaf — Rosa/Rubus documented in ancient Celtic tradition; used by Native American peoples for labor preparation

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Educational use

The Apothecary is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a diagnosed condition.

On our sources

These entries draw on public-domain materia medica, most of it published before 1900, alongside a smaller number of modern reference works. Energetic qualities such as warming, cooling, drying and moistening are a traditional framework for describing how a plant behaves in the body, not a laboratory measurement. Where a period source states one, we cite it. Where none does, and for many North American herbs none exists, the value reflects modern herbal consensus rather than a historical text. When we cannot support a caution with real evidence, we say nothing rather than guess.