Wild Plants That Produce Fruit

Before humankind became organized into agricultural societies, native peoples knew how to live off the land. They understood which plants were edible and which ones were not. Today, the same wild plants still produce fruit that is edible, and in fact, wild fruit generally has a much stronger flavor. Wild fruit-bearing plants are adapted perfectly to their environment. This makes them hardy and able to tolerate environmental conditions and pests. It is important, however, to know exactly which fruit is edible before going out to collect wild fruit.

Wild Strawberry

Fragaria vesca is the wild strawberry. It is not more than 10 inches high, spreads by dropping seeds--not by runners as other strawberries do--and produces small red- or white-skinned fruit. The wild strawberry can tolerate frost and prefers soil that is slightly acidic. It does not like full, direct sun, doing better in a partial-shade environment, and does well in wooded areas. Wild strawberry plants do not do well in very hot climates and will rarely, if ever, be found in those areas.

Prunus avium is the wild cherry. This is a tree that can either produce very sweet fruit or bitter fruit, depending on the particular tree. Sampling the cherries is the only way to determine if a specific tree has good fruit. Once fruit is ripe, it has to be picked right away or the birds will eat the cherries very quickly. All of the commercially cultivated cherry trees come from the wild cherry.

The wild gooseberry, Ribes uva-crispa, is a shrub that lives in hedges or wooded areas. The fruit is generally light green, although occasionally the berries can also show up in red or yellow coloring. All kinds are edible. The branches are covered in thorns, so you will need to wear thick gloves when picking the berries. Gooseberries can be eaten just as they are or used in jams and jellies.

Ribes rubrum, the wild red currant, is a shrub that thrives in woodlands or hedges. The berries are sweet when ripe and can be eaten alone or made into various desserts like pies or jams. The red currant plant will sometimes have white berries, but it is the same plant, just without the red coloring.

Vaccinum vitis-idaea is the lingonberry plant. This shrub is not very tall and creeps along the ground. It grows in mountain forests and is therefore very tolerant of cold and freezing temperatures. The fruit is red and sweet and has been used by native populations for hundreds of years specifically to help with digestive issues. The plants spread by seed or underground rhizomes and will only thrive in acidic soil.