Berry facts for kids

Four fruits that are true berries. From right: grapes, persimmon, red gooseberries, and red currants.

Several common "berries." The blueberry is a false berry, blackberries are aggregate fruit, and strawberries are accessory fruit.

The word berry is used for many small, tasty fruits. These fruits often have many seeds inside. You might think of raspberries, strawberries, lingonberries, and blueberries when you hear the word "berry."

But did you know that what a scientist calls a "berry" can be very different from what we usually call a berry?

What is a True Berry?

When botanists (plant scientists) talk about a berry, they have a special meaning. A true berry is a simple fruit that grows from a single ovary of a flower. The entire wall of the ovary becomes soft and fleshy when it ripens. The seeds are found inside this soft part.

For example, grapes and tomatoes are actually true berries to a botanist! This might sound surprising, but it's how scientists classify them.

Parts of a Berry

A berry develops from a flower's ovary. This ovary is usually located above the other flower parts. It contains one or more carpels, which are like small sections. The seeds are protected inside the soft, fleshy part of the berry.

Common "Berries" That Are Not True Berries

Many fruits we call "berries" in everyday language are not considered true berries by botanists. These include:

• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Cranberries
• Boysenberries

These fruits have different ways of growing or different structures that make them unique. For example, a strawberry is an accessory fruit, meaning other parts of the flower grow along with the ovary to form the fruit.

True Berries Without "Berry" in Their Name

On the other hand, some true berries don't have "berry" in their name at all! Here are a few examples:

• Tomatoes
• Bananas
• Eggplants
• Guavas
• Pomegranates
• Chillies

Some larger fruits are also botanically berries, but they have special names based on their structure. For instance:

• Pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons are a type of berry called a pepo.
• Oranges and lemons are a type of berry called a hesperidium.

Why Berries Are Important

Berries are usually small, sweet, and brightly colored. This makes them very attractive to animals. When animals eat berries, they often help to spread the plant's seeds to new places. This helps new plants grow and keeps the plant species alive.

Images for kids

• 

  Blackthorn, Prunus spinosa

• 

  Cloudberry, a plant found in cool regions like the arctic tundra.

• 

  Example of color contrast in (mostly inedible) wild berries.

• 

  Mixed frozen berries.

• 

  A slice of blueberry pie.

• 

  Elderberry jam on bread.

• 

  Various dried berries.

• 

  Japanese barberries.

• 

  Bilberry.

• 

  Red currants.

• 

  Honeysuckle.

• 

  Gooseberries.

• 

  Cloudberry.

• 

  Highbush blueberries.

• 

  Blackberries.

See also

In Spanish: Fruta del bosque para niños