Berries are a diverse group of small, fleshy fruits, but the plants they grow on are even more varied. The common understanding of a “berry” is broader than the strict botanical definition, encompassing fruits from tiny ground-level creepers to large trees. This wide culinary category includes species with dramatically different life cycles and growth habits, which influences how they are cultivated and harvested worldwide.
Berries from Woody Shrubs and Bushes
Many of the most popular cultivated berries grow on perennial woody shrubs that maintain a self-supporting structure year-round. These plants develop multiple stems from the base, giving them a bushy appearance that is distinct from the single trunk of a tree. The fruit is produced on canes or branches that arise from this sturdy, upright framework.
Blueberries, belonging to the genus Vaccinium, are a prime example of this growth habit, forming dense, multi-stemmed shrubs. The highbush varieties can reach heights of six to twelve feet, producing fruit on short, lateral branches that emerge from one-year-old wood. These plants also require specific, acidic soil conditions, often with a pH between 4.0 and 5.0, for proper nutrient uptake and growth.
Currants and gooseberries, both species of Ribes, grow as upright shrubs. Currants bear small berries in clusters called strigs, while gooseberries produce larger, single fruits along thorny canes. Their canes are biennial, meaning they grow one year and produce fruit in the second and third years before needing to be pruned to encourage new growth.
Berries from Vining and Trailing Plants
This group of berries grows on plants that lack a rigid, self-supporting trunk, relying instead on specialized structures or sprawling growth patterns. In cultivation, these plants are often trained onto trellises or wires to manage their extensive growth and keep the fruit off the ground.
Grapes are true vines, relying on tendrils that wrap around structures for vertical support as they grow. The woody structure of the grape vine, or Vitis, is perennial. However, the fruit is produced on new shoots that develop from buds on the previous season’s growth. This requires annual pruning to manage the canopy and promote consistent fruiting.
Blackberries and their close relatives, dewberries, grow on long, arching stems called canes. Upright blackberry varieties have stiff, mostly self-supporting canes, but many others, including dewberries, have a trailing habit requiring support. The canes are biennial: they are called primocanes in the first year and floricanes in the second year, when they produce fruit before dying back.
Berries that Grow Directly on the Ground
Some widely consumed berries grow on plants that are naturally low-lying, forming a dense ground cover rather than an upright structure. These plants often spread outward using specialized horizontal stems to colonize new areas. This growth habit keeps the fruit close to the soil surface, presenting unique challenges for cultivation and harvest.
Strawberries, from the genus Fragaria, are herbaceous perennials with a compressed stem called a crown, which sits just above the soil line. They reproduce primarily by sending out horizontal stems called runners, or stolons, which root at the nodes to form new, genetically identical daughter plants. Commercial production often involves managing these runners to maximize fruit size and yield from the main plant.
Cranberries grow on low, woody, trailing vines that form dense mats over specialized wetland areas called bogs. These runners can spread for many feet, and the upright shoots that emerge from them produce the flowers and subsequent fruit. The fruits are harvested using methods that take advantage of this low-to-the-ground growth, often by flooding the bog and using specialized machinery.
Berries from Tree Structures
While most berries are associated with shrubs or vines, a few notable examples are harvested from arborescent structures. These plants are distinctly larger and taller than bushes, characterized by a single, substantial trunk and an elevated canopy, classifying them as trees.
Mulberries, species of Morus, are deciduous trees that can reach heights of 30 to 60 feet, depending on the variety, with some living for over a century. The fruits, which resemble elongated blackberries, grow directly on the tree’s branches. The fast-growing nature of many mulberry species means they quickly establish themselves as large, permanent fixtures in a landscape.
Elderberries, species of Sambucus, grow on tall, fast-growing shrubs that sometimes take on the form of a small, multi-stemmed tree, often reaching heights of 10 to 12 feet. The plants produce large, flat clusters of small berries at the ends of their branches.