Wild raspberry
- Characteristics
- Rubus idaeus; also a cultivable species
Berries
This Italian berry guide brings together wild raspberries and bilberries documented in Italy’s woodland and mountain flora.
- Examples
- Wild raspberry and bilberry
- Species
- Rubus idaeus and Vaccinium myrtillus
- Uses
- Fresh fruit, preserves and syrups
Types and preparations
Wild bilberry
- Characteristics
- Vaccinium myrtillus, with staining pulp
Know the species before the basket
University flora guides document raspberry in woodland openings and bilberry along the Alps and Apennines. Those records establish Italian botanical connections, not permission to pick fruit everywhere. A shop’s berry mix can also contain cultivated fruits, so read its actual contents and origin.
Try it in the kitchen
The botanical guides document preserves and syrups from these fruits. Our suggestion: taste raspberry and bilberry separately before combining their preserves in a dessert; a plain yogurt or ricotta filling makes the comparison easy.
