Wild Berries: Identify & eat your local berries

Berries are abundant in the wild, from meadows and nature trails to mountains and national parks. But before you rely on wild berries as ingredients for your next recipe, you need to be sure they’re safe to eat.

We’ve identified a few common finds below. It may also be worth getting yourself a pocket guide if you regularly berry pick.

Bramble (Blackberry):

Found: On low-growing, thorny briars which twine aggressively through hedges and gardens

Recipe: Delicious in a heart-warming blackberry crumble

Blackthorn (Sloe):

Found: Marble-sized deep purple fruit, on very thorny common hedgerow shrubs or trees

Recipe: Experiment making your own Sloe gin

Elder (Elderberry):

Found: On small trees, generally on calcareous soils

Recipe: This taste great used in jams and chutneys, you can also make elderberry wine

Hawthorn (Thornapple):

Found: Commonly found in hedgerows and parks, the berries are known as haws

Recipe: These make a good jelly to eat with cheese and as a great ketchup substitute

Rosehips (Dog Rose):

Found: Bunched or solitary on spiny or hook-thorned arching stems in deep woodland

Recipe: Very well suited to making into a syrup or vinegar

Enjoy getting outdoors and exploring your hedgerows!

Find out where your nearest GreenThumb branch is here.