Acai berry: Acai berries have garnered attention recently as a super food high in fatty

acids, proteins and antioxidants. The dark purple fruit grow in clusters in palm trees
native to the Amazon jungle of South America.
Baneberry: Small, hard red or white berries. Toxic.
Barbados cherry: The arbados cherry is a small shrub or tree that grows in the
!aribbean and some parts of !entral and South America. "t is not at all cold hardy,
suffering damage when temperatures dip below #$ degrees %. The fruit are bright red,
cherry&like and very juicy.
Barberry: arberry shrubs are used primarily as landscape plants, particularly around
foundations. irds love the small, red fruits. They're too sour to enjoy fresh, but are
palatable when cooked with sugar.
Bearberry: %ound in arctic and subarctic zones around the world, the bearberry
produces red berries enjoyed by bears and humans alike. (ative people gather the
leaves of bearberry plants for use as in folk medicine said to cure rheumatoid arthritis,
gout, back pain, headaches and kidney stones.
Bilberry: Similar to blueberries, these flavorful berries grow wild throughout northern
)urope. They are highly perishable and don't transport well. )uropeans pick the wild
berries for fresh eating, jams and baked goods.
Bittersweet: These bright orange berries grow on long trailing vines throughout (ew
)ngland. The berries are toxic and very bitter, hence their name. *se them for
decorative purposes only.
Blackberry: lackberries are related to raspberries and grow wild throughout the
+acific (orthwest and the South. These plants prefer moist, fertile soils and mild
winters. (ew varieties are more cold hardy, but gardeners north of *.S. ,epartment of
Agriculture planting zone - will have better success with raspberries.
Blueberry: Sweet, juicy blueberries are used for fresh eating, or in sauces and baked
goods. *nfortunately, blueberries re.uire acidic soil with a p/ between 0.1 and 1.1. "f
you have alkaline soil, you will need to heavily amend it or grow your blueberries in
containers.
Black Mulberry: The black mulberry grows only in warm climates, south of zone 2,
but is a favorite fruit among Southern cooks. Substitute it for blackberries in pies and
jams.
Boysenberry: An botanist developed the boysenberry in the 345$s by crossing
raspberries, blackberries and logan berries. 6alter 7nott grew the berries at his farm
and his wife made the sweet fruit into preserves. 7nott's erry %arm became famous
and the rest is history. oysenberries re.uire conditions similar to blackberries.
Buffalo berry: uffalo berry grows wild throughout the 8reat +lains region and is
enjoyed by humans and wildlife alike. The plant produces large, red fruit suitable for
eating fresh, dried or in baked goods.
Bunchberry: unchberry trees produce red clusters of stone fruit in northern regions
of (orth America. These fruits are bland tasting and better left for the birds.
Chokeberry: !hokeberry shrubs are often used as landscape plants because they are
drought tolerant, disease resistant and grow under the shade of other trees. The fruit is
acerbic, but makes good wine and preserves.
Chokecherry: The chokecherry grows wild throughout many parts of the 6est,
although it grows easily in gardens, as well. *se this tart fruit in jams and syrups.
Cloudberry: This tree or shrub grows throughout the coldest regions of (orth
America, producing yellow, bland fruit.
Cowberry: !owberries grow wild throughout northern )urope and !anada, producing
tart red fruit, similar to cranberries. The fruit are used in baked goods and preserves.
Cranberry: (ot just for the Thanksgiving meal, cooks appreciate cranberries for their
tart, fresh flavor. !ranberries are wetland fruits, re.uiring acidic peat soil, constant
moisture and a long growing season.
Currant: !urrants thrive in regions with cool, moist conditions. The small, round
fruits may be translucent white, red or purple with a rich, tart flavor used for preserves
or wines.
Dewberry: 6ild black berries that grow on long, creeping vines. These plants grow
prolifically throughout the +acific (orthwest. )at them fresh or use them in jams and
baked goods. They have a slightly bitter taste.
Elderberry: Similar to currants, elderberries are dark red to purple and make fine
wine and preserves. 8row this plant in cool, moist regions with cold winters.
Farkleberry: A relative of blueberries, farkleberry, sometimes known as sparkleberry,
grows wild throughout the 9idwest. The black berries are relatively tasteless,
although birds and wildlife enjoy them.
Goji berry: right red goji berries have been heralded as a super food, high in
antioxidants. The shrubs are native to the mountainous regions of !hina and the
/imalayas, but researchers in *tah are experimenting with them. They tolerate
drought, extreme heat and cold, and poor soils.
Gooseberry: This thorny plant produces tart, green berries used in pies and preserves.
8ooseberries thrive in cool areas and prefer rich, moist soils.
Grape: elieve it or not, grapes are botanically classified as berries. Table grapes are
used fresh and may be red, green or black. Small, seeded types have an aromatic
flavor and are used for juices and wines.
Holly berry: right, red berries that grow on evergreen holly shrubs. Toxic.
Huckleberry: /uckleberries grow wild throughout the +acific (orthwest, thriving in
the cool, moist conditions found in woodland settings. They are similar to blueberries,
and are delicious fresh, or in jams and baked goods.
ndian !lu": This flowering shrub or small tree is native to the +acific (orthwest,
west of the !ascade 9ountains. The reddish fruit are non&toxic and loved by birds.
#y berry: Small purple to black berries found on ivy plants. Toxic.
$uneberry: This plant tolerates drought, cold winters and poor soils, growing wild
throughout much of (orth America. "t is used more often as a landscaping plant,
although the fruit is tasty, resembling blueberries.
$uniper berry: :unipers produce dusty blue berries that resemble blueberries. The
fruit isn't toxic, but is rarely palatable.
%in&onberry: Also known as cowberry.
%o&an Berry: This cross between a raspberry and a blackberry has a distinct taste and
is used commercially in jams and juices. 8row logan berry as you would blackberries.
Mistletoe berry: Small, hard, red berries that grow on mistletoe. Toxic.
'annyberry: This plant grows wild in northern woodlands and marshes. The berry
resembles chokecherries in appearance and taste. *se it in syrups and preserves.
(re&on Grape: ;regon grapes grow well in a variety of soils and are used primarily
as a landscaping shrub. The small, purple fruits are tart, but are eaten fresh or made
into wine or preserves. ;regon grape root is used medicinally to treat diahrrea,
constipation, giardia and gallbladder disease.
!ersi""on: <ike tomatoes, persimmons are botanically classified as a berry. These
s.uat or round orange fruit hail from the 9iddle )ast and Asia, although gardeners in
the Southern *nited States successfully grow them as well. They have a tart taste and
slightly mealy texture.
!okeberry: The fruit of this plant resemble blueberries, but don't be fooled. All parts
of the plant are toxic. The berries lack the star at the base of the fruit found on
blueberries and have a glossy purple&red sheen.
!ri#et berry: Small purple or black berries that grow on evergreen or semi&evergreen
flowering shrubs or hedges. Toxic.
)aspberry: =aspberries are cold&hardy and long&lived, producing sweet, flavorful
fruit suitable for fresh eating, sauces and preserves. +lant raspberries in fertile soil and
provide at least 3 inch of water weekly.
)ed Mulberry: =ed mulberry trees are native to many parts of the *nited States.
They produce fruit similar to blackberries. The fruit are highly perishable and leave a
mess on sidewalks and hard surfaces.
*al"onberry: Salmonberry is a perennial plant native to Alaska and !anada. The
orange or red fruit resemble raspberries and are eaten fresh or in preserves.
*trawberry: A homegrown strawberry has little in common with those found in
grocery stores. /omegrown varieties are often smaller, but have an intense strawberry
flavor that makes you stand up and take notice. 8row them in fertile, moist soil and
full sun.
*u&arberry: Sugarberry trees grow throughout the Southern *nited States and
produce yellow or orange fruits loved by birds and insects.
+ayberry: This hybrid cross between a loganberry and a black raspberry produces
sweet, red fruit. "t grows in moist, fertile soil and is more frost hardy than blackberries.
+hi"bleberry: A wild cousin of cultivated raspberries, thimbleberries grow from
Alaska to northern 9exico. *se them fresh or in jams. They are softer and more
perishable than raspberries and rarely sold commercially.
,hite Mulberry: 6hite mulberry trees were brought from !hina to the *nited States
in the 3>$$s in an effort to establish a silk industry here. The caterpillars feed off the
leaves of these trees. The fruit is bland and unpalatable to humans.
,ineberry: This wild raspberry grows throughout (ew )ngland and is considered an
invasive plant. The fruit are soft and tart.
,inter&reen: This plant grows on creeping vines throughout !anada and the northern
*nited States. The berries have an acerbic taste that improves with freezing.
-ew berry: =ed berries found on evergreen shrubs. Toxic.
-oun&berry: yrnes 9. ?oung introduced this hybrid cross between a dewberry and
a blackberry in 34$1. "t is fre.uently grown in (ew @ealand, Australia and South
Africa.
The world of berries extends far beyond the few commonly grown or found in grocery stores.
9any berries that grow wild are safe to eat, but consult a field guide to accurately identify any
berry before you consume it. erries resembling blackberries and raspberries are always safe,
as are wild strawberries.