What Are Berries?
Berries are far more than just the berries you know – strawberries or blueberries, for example. Making a list of different kinds of berries can include any berry that meets the botanical definition of the term, as well as fruits that are commonly referred to as berries which don’t meet the classification. The botanical definition of a berry is any fruit that is produced from a single ovary. This group includes some fruits that are traditionally thought of as berries, and many other fleshy fruits. Surprisingly, blueberries and cranberries, commonly known berries, are actually something classified botanically as “false berries”. This is because the fruit is formed not only from the ovary, but also from other parts of the flower. Strawberries and raspberries also don’t actually meet the botanical classification of a berry either, because they are formed from other parts of the flowers. As such, these “berries” fall into other classifications like drupes and aggregate fruits.
