Tag: Whortleberry

According to the Woodland Trust, bilberry is known by several common names across different regions, including blaeberry, whortleberry, and wimberry. This wide array of monikers reflects its widespread native growth across northern Europe and parts of Asia and North America. Understanding the various names for bilberry is essential for foragers, botanists, and food enthusiasts who might encounter this fruit under different titles.

Though often mistaken for blueberries, bilberries have a variety of regional and historical names reflecting their native European and Asian habitats. This rich linguistic heritage reveals the wild, locally foraged nature of this nutritious fruit across different cultures and upland areas where it is commonly found.

Bilberries, also known as wimberries, were once a common sight in parts of the UK, with whole families picking them to sell or bake pies. While they are not readily available commercially, it is absolutely still possible to get wimberries by wild foraging in their native upland habitats.