Bilberries are found natively across northern Europe, Iceland and across the Caucasus into northern Asia. In June, small pink bell-shaped flowers appear and by August, the small bushes are covered in bilberries, which are commonly harvested to make jams, pies and sauces. Bilberries are similar to blueberries, but have red inner flesh rather than white flesh. They have a number of different names across geographical regions: blaeberry in Scotland, whortleberry, wimberry, whinberry and urts in other parts of the UK.
How to identify
Bilberries grow on low bushes with solitary blue-black fruits, and are found wild in heathland in the northern Hemisphere.
Did you know?
Vaccinium myrtillus has been used for nearly 1,000 years in traditional European medicine. Bilberries are used for treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and diabetes.
