By Savayda Jarone, Herbalist
As we approach the local fruit and berry season, it's worth noting that many of these trees and shrubs have more to offer than just their sweet harvest. While the fruits often get all the credit, the leaves of many fruit-bearing plants also hold valuable nutritional and medicinal properties.
Spring bursts forth with greenery—most plants and trees begin their new life cycle by producing leaves that fuel growth through photosynthesis. This vital early stage precedes flowering and fruiting, and it’s when we harvest the leaves for food and medicine.
Here are some notable fruit-bearing shrubs and trees that offer gifts from their leaves:
Strawberry (Fragaria spp.)
Wild strawberry and its cultivated cousins are beloved summer favourites. The wild variety has a long history of medicinal use. Its small, serrated leaves grow low to the ground and are easily overlooked before the white blossoms appear.
Strawberry leaves are rich in tannins, which offer astringent and anti-inflammatory properties. Traditionally, a tea made from the leaves is used to soothe diarrhea, reduce intestinal inflammation, and tone tissues. The tea also helps relieve gout and arthritis symptoms by promoting mild detoxification and uric acid elimination.
Externally, an infusion can be used as a skin wash for eczema, sunburn, and minor wounds, or added to a compress for swollen joints.
Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)
Raspberry leaves, especially from wild plants, have long been revered in herbal medicine for supporting women’s health. They are perhaps best known as a uterine tonic that helps tone the pelvic muscles and reduce excessive bleeding. Midwives often use raspberry leaf tea in late pregnancy to help prepare the uterus for childbirth.
Rich in iron, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins B and C, raspberry leaves prepared as a tea or vinegar extract are also a deeply nutritive herbal ally.
Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus)
Blackberry leaves share many qualities with raspberry due to their familial relationship within the rose family. They are high in tannins and have long been used to treat diarrhea, stomach ulcers, and irritable bowel.
Their strong astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties make them especially useful for infections of the mouth and throat. A tea can be used as a gargle for sore throats, mouth ulcers, and bleeding gums. Blackberry leaf is also traditionally applied as a wash for skin irritations like rashes or fungal infections and can be included in healing salves.
Peach (Prunus persica)
Peach leaves have a long tradition in Southern Appalachian folk herbalism, prized for their cooling, moistening, and soothing nature.
Peach leaf is used to treat nausea and queasiness, including during pregnancy and from heat stroke, motion sickness, or anxiety. It is a gentle yet effective digestive aid, easing symptoms of gastritis, acid reflux, and indigestion.
Peach leaf also has antihistamine properties, making it useful for allergic reactions, including seasonal allergies, hives, and itchy skin eruptions.
Note: Commercial peach orchards often use pesticides—always harvest from unsprayed or organic trees, such as those in wild or backyard settings.
Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
Wild blueberry leaves are surprisingly delicious, with a subtle tang that hints at the flavour of the fruit. When young and tender in early spring, they can be added to salads, used as a garnish, or steeped as tea.
Medicinally, blueberry leaves are known for their antioxidant and blood sugar-regulating effects. They are used traditionally to help manage type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions.
Additionally, blueberry leaf tea can calm the digestive system, helping with diarrhea, inflammation, and mild stomach cramps.
How to Brew Leaf Tea
All of the above-mentioned leaves can be prepared as an herbal infusion. To brew:
🌿 Steep 1 tsp dried or 2 tsp fresh, chopped leaves in 1 cup freshly boiled water for 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy.
🌿 Drink 1–3 cups daily, depending on the desired effect.
Want to learn more about using these and other plants for summer skincare?
Come to a hands-on workshop in my home garden in Head of Jeddore on June 17th. Visit my website for more info: www.bloominstitute.ca
