Types of Berries: List of 49 Berries with Yummy Pictures
Berry is a term that often conjures up images of various fruits growing on trees or bushes. However, the botanical classification of true berries may surprise you. Here’s an insightful guide on what constitutes a true berry and some lesser-known types of berries that might not immediately come to mind.
What Are Berries?
Surprisingly, a true berry, as per botanical definitions, possesses specific characteristics. It originates from the ovary of a single flower and encases either one or multiple seeds within itself. This seemingly straightforward definition might challenge one’s understanding when considering the fruits that fall under the category of true berries.
Fruits like avocados, bananas, pumpkins, kiwis, tomatoes, and watermelons, despite not fitting the conventional berry image, are all classified as true berries. On the other hand, the fruits we typically recognize as berries are actually a variation that doesn’t strictly meet the botanical criteria. These fruits fall under the categories of Epignyous and Compound fruits.
Epignyous fruits may have seeds on their external surface, as seen in strawberries, while others like blackberries and raspberries contain multiple fruit seeds. Additionally, some fruits, known as Drupes, harbor a large pit within their flesh, exemplified by fruits such as Hackberries, Barbados and West Indian cherries, and Goji berries.
Types of Berries
If you’re looking for real true berries, these are the most common varieties that you’ll already know.
True Berries
- Grapes (Can include red or green grapes that are grown globally)
- Currant (Red and black currant that is similar to gooseberries)
- Oregon Grape (Often used by Chinese medicine that is also called a Holly Grape)
- Nannyberry (Mainly used for fruit purees and for medicinal tea for muscle cramps)
- Gooseberry (Paired with elderberry to make a naturally refreshing drink)
- Black currant (Has the highest anti-oxidant values and is used for sweet and savory dishes)
- Red currant (Best used for sauces and jellies but great for garnishes on desserts)
- Wild rose/rose hip berries (perfect for natural tea flavor and digestive problems)
- Epignyous Fruit Berries
- Bearberry (Just like cranberry, good for digestive problems and cramps)
- Blueberry (The go-to berry for desserts)
- Cranberry (great when juiced or used in recipes)
- Crowberry (Good for pies, wines, and jams)
- Cowberry/foxberry (Used as an ancient medicine like cranberry and lingonberry)
- Huckleberry (Similar to blueberries, these are great for making pies and jellies)
- Juniper berry (Used in spices and rubs meant for cooking and seasoning)
- Lingonberry (These tiny red berries are great as a superfood)
- Red/black/purple chokeberry (Eastern European native berry used for cooking)
- Mountain cranberry (A Scandinavian berry that is used for medical purposes)
- Compound Fruit Berries
- Bayberry (Used for making scents and medicinal uses)
- Boysenberry (Desserts and pies)
- Blackberry (Desserts and pies)
- Chehalem berry (Similar to Ollalieberry)
- Cloudberry (Good for preserves and tarts)
- Dewberry (Used for drinks, sweets, and jams)
- Juneberry (Often put in desserts and eaten like raisins)
- Loganberry (Perfect for jams and jellies)
- Marionberry (Sweet and sour sauces and marinades)
- Mulberry (Jams, Jellies, and sweet treats)
- Ollalieberry (Jams, jellies, and especially wines)
- Salmonberry (Used to flavor beer and wine)
- Saskatoon berries (Canadian berries used for baking and flavoring)
- Shadberry (Best for pies and making pemmican)
- Serviceberry (Best in baked goods, desserts, and flavoring ice cream)
- Strawberry (An all-round fruit favorite)
- Tayberry (Sweeter than raspberries and used for nearly anything)
- Thimbleberry (Perfect for making tea and also in soap making)
- Wineberry (An Asian berry that is best for pies and preserves)
- Youngberry (Similar to loganberry and used for desserts and flavorings)
List of Berries
- Grapes
- Currant
- Oregon Grape
- Nannyberry
- Gooseberry
- Black currant
- Red currant
- Wild rose/rose hip berries
- Bearberry
- Blueberry
- Cranberry
- Crowberry
- Cowberry/foxberry
- Huckleberry
- Juniper berry
- Lingonberry
- Red/black/purple chokeberry
- Mountain cranberry
- Bayberry
- Boysenberry
- Blackberry
- Chehalem berry
- Cloudberry
- Dewberry
- Juneberry
- Loganberry
- Marionberry
- Mulberry
- Ollalieberry
- Salmonberry
- Saskatoon berries
- Shadberry
- Serviceberry
- Strawberry
- Tayberry
- Thimbleberry
- Wineberry
- Youngberry
