Edible berries

Sooner or later, most people find themselves in the forest. Someone goes to collect the gifts of nature purposefully, others are forced to fight for survival. In these two cases, it is equally important to know edible berries that are found in various localities of Russia.

The main part of the wild berry plants distributed in places with warm climates. Quite a lot of berries are edible and raw, but others require mandatory preparation or processing. The benefits of such fruits is to saturate the body with minerals and various vitamins. Some of them are also quite nutritious. But the problem is that without special knowledge to understand the berries, considering them in the woods or in the basket, will not work.

Speaking about the names of shrubs, the fruits of which you can eat, you should definitely mention chokeberry. It is also called chokeberry. This plant, reaching 3 m in height, is branched heavily and is not a biological relative of the mountain ash. The similarity between them is rather external.

Hawthorn is a shrub whose height is very different: from 1 to 4 m. It should be borne in mind that this is a whole family, most of which are distributed on the North American continent. Hawthorn is introduced into the culture not only for the production of berries, but also as an ornamental shrub. The more common lingonberry grows in the environment of both coniferous and deciduous trees.

In addition to these species, in Russia there may be such berry plants as:

• black elderberry (in the south of the European part);
• wild cherry;
• crowberry;
• blueberries (grows even in the Far East, externally close to blueberries);
• common and gray blackberry;
• strawberries;
• Irga (temperate plant);
• honeysuckle;
• viburnum (there are shrub and tree form).

Residents of the Caucasus regions can see wild dogwood. Its berries are eaten fresh, but of these you can also cook:

• marmalade;
• jam;
• compotes, jellies and other drinks.

In the tundra, forest-tundra zone and in the north of the forest belt, overgrown cranberries were found. Years of experience has allowed people to come up with more than 100 drinks based on this berry. It has many useful properties. Cranberries are needed to obtain:

• mors;
• preserves;
• wines;
• jelly;
• sour juices and jelly;
• a number of food dyes.

But if the cranberry is a typical inhabitant of the north, the center of the European part of the country and the Siberian regions occupy the carpenter. You can meet her in the Caucasus. Kostya is used to obtain wine and fruit juice, jam and vinegar, jelly and syrup. It is also dried.

There are many other species: raspberry and cloudberry, sea buckthorn and currant, blueberry and wild rose.

Lingonberries are found almost everywhere in the Urals. This low-growing perennial actively develops on the lighted, not blown by the wind places. Often he is met in the coniferous forest. Cowberry is always lower in the swamps than in the middle of the forest. Foliage is relatively small.

The inhabitants of the Urals can also meet hawthorn in the forest. The shoots of this shrub are found on the edges and glades, also on the river and lake shores. Sometimes it makes sense to go down behind the berries in the ravines. But it is desirable to look for strawberries in the open part of the forest, where the earth is well-moistened. Raspberries can be found in the thicket, and in the fields.

A different set of berries characteristic of the Crimea. To taste among them there are no equal sweet cherry. It is best to follow her to the Alushta region or to the main mountain range of the peninsula. The color of the berries can be different: from dark cherry to a simple red color.

July in the Crimea is accompanied by the ripening of dogwood. But mostly locals and tourists prefer to eat fruits - good, their choice is much more.

But in the Leningrad region stone fruit cultures are in high demand. Almost throughout the region grow blueberries. It is only necessary to remember that in the Vyborg district it reaches ripeness 14 days later than in the south.

You can search for raspberries in any forest near St. Petersburg. Collect on the side of the road, although the berry is concentrated there, it is not recommended. Where better to go after it away from human habitation.

Also in the Leningrad region collect:

• cranberries;
• cloudberry;
• blueberries;
• lingonberries (unlike the three previous berries, it does not grow in swamps, but in a pine forest).

All this knowledge is very useful for those who are going to replenish their diet. But it happens that to get to the train station, bus or personal car is not possible. In this case, forest edible berries are among the first assistants of lost people.

In the pine forest, it makes sense to look for blueberries. Its almost black berries are distinguished by a slight waxy bloom. The fruits of the plant are saturated with microelements, help to compensate for the lack of vitamins.

Oval orange sea buckthorn helps out even in winter. It grows directly on the trunk. If the ground is sandy, then the probability of finding sea buckthorn grows dramatically.

From August to the end of November it is worth trying to find amber-yellow cloudberries - usually it grows near cranberries or lingonberries.

The search for princes fleeing hunger in the forest should be carried out not only in swamps, but also in overmoistened meadows, and on the banks of rivers.

How to cook honeysuckle jam, see below.