Berries
Origin and history of strawberries (a 1750 French hybrid), blueberries (first cultivated 1916), raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, and 8 more berries.
13 articles in this section
Strawberry Origin: The 1750s French Hybrid That Changed the World
The modern strawberry (270 years old) is a French hybrid of a Virginia and a Chilean berry. Full origin story, parent species, and complete growing guide.
Blueberry: From North American Wilderness to Global Superfood
The blueberry was not commercially cultivated until 1916. The story of how one New Jersey botanist tamed the wild blueberry, and how to grow your own.
Raspberry: From Ancient Greek Mountains to Modern Garden
Raspberries have been gathered in Europe and Asia for over 2,000 years. The story of red, black, and golden raspberries, and how to grow all three.
Blackberry: The Brambly Survivor โ Origin, History, and How to Grow
Blackberries are aggressive enough to be classified as a weed in some places. The story of this tenacious fruit, and how to tame it for the garden.
Cranberry: The Bog Berry of New England
Cranberries are one of three North American native commercial fruits. The story of the bog harvest, Thanksgiving sauce, and how to actually grow them.
Gooseberry: The Forgotten European Berry
Gooseberries were a Victorian English obsession with hundreds of named varieties. The story of this tart underrated berry and how to grow it.
Currant: The Northern European Garden Berry
Red, black, and white currants are northern European staples. The story of these tart berries, including the famous English ban.
Elderberry: The Folk-Medicine Berry
Elderberries have been used in European traditional medicine for 2,500 years. The story of this dark berry โ and why you must cook it before eating.
Mulberry: The Silk-Industry Tree
The white mulberry feeds silkworms โ its leaves built the Chinese silk trade. The fruit is delicious. The 5,000-year story.
Goji Berry: The Chinese Mountain Superfood
Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) have been used in Chinese medicine for 2,000 years. The story of the modern "superfood" boom and how to grow them.
Lingonberry: The Scandinavian Forest Berry
Lingonberries are the wild forest staple of Scandinavia and the Russian taiga โ tart, durable, paired with everything from meatballs to oatmeal.
Sea Buckthorn: The Orange Vitamin Berry
Sea buckthorn is a thorny coastal shrub with intensely sour orange berries packed with vitamin C โ used in Eurasian medicine for 1,200 years.
Honeyberry (Haskap): The Japanese-Russian Cold-Hardy Blueberry Substitute
Honeyberries are elongated blue fruits from a honeysuckle relative โ cold-hardy down to -45ยฐC and ready to harvest two weeks before strawberries.