Whether a kiwi is a berry depends on its definition: culinary or botanical. From a botanical standpoint, the kiwi fruit is indeed classified as a berry. This scientific classification often surprises many, as it differs significantly from how the term “berry” is commonly understood in everyday use.
Understanding Botanical Berries
Botanically, a berry is a simple fleshy fruit that develops from a single flower with one ovary. This fruit typically contains multiple seeds embedded within its pulpy flesh. The entire outer layer of the ovary wall, known as the pericarp, ripens into a fleshy, edible portion. This distinguishes true berries from other fruit types, such as drupes (which have a hard pit) or aggregate fruits.
A berry’s pericarp is divided into three distinct layers: the exocarp (outer skin), the mesocarp (fleshy middle layer), and the endocarp (innermost layer surrounding the seeds). These layers are usually not distinct from each other in a true berry, forming a uniformly fleshy structure. This botanical definition is more specific than the common understanding, which often labels any small, juicy fruit as a “berry.”
Kiwi’s Botanical Classification
The kiwi, also known as the Chinese gooseberry, aligns with the botanical criteria for a berry. It originates from a single flower that possesses a single ovary. As the flower matures, its ovary wall develops into the fleshy fruit we consume.
Within the kiwi’s green or golden pulp, numerous small, edible black seeds are found. The kiwi’s fuzzy skin, succulent flesh, and the innermost layer surrounding its seeds correspond to the exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp of a botanical berry. This structure confirms its classification as a berry.
Beyond Kiwi: Other Surprising Fruits
The botanical definition of a berry reveals many surprising classifications. Fruits like bananas, grapes, and tomatoes are considered botanical berries because they develop from a single ovary and have fleshy pericarps with embedded seeds. Other unexpected botanical berries include cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and watermelons.
Conversely, many fruits commonly called “berries” do not fit the botanical definition. Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, for instance, are classified as aggregate fruits, meaning they form from multiple ovaries within a single flower. Similarly, mulberries are multiple fruits, developing from a cluster of flowers. This distinction highlights the significant difference between everyday language and scientific terminology.