Bilberry: Where It Grows, Blooms, Benefits and Harms, Interesting Facts

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is a delicious berry from the heather family, possessing a plethora of unique beneficial properties. The name of the berry varies from region to region due to its dark color, and it is also known as “bilberry,” “crowberry,” “whortleberry,” “huckleberry,” “hurtleberry,” and “blackberry.”

Why is it called bilberry? It’s simple – it’s a folk name coined by people because the berry has the property of staining the hands and mouth black.

The plant can grow from 2 – 3 cm in height (in the challenging conditions of the tundra zone) to 50 cm. The leaves are light green in color. The bushes grow closely together. The average lifespan is about 40 years. The shrub starts bearing fruit only after 4-5 years. The peak of productivity occurs after 10 years of life.

Flowering

In late May, bilberries bloom simultaneously with bird cherry. Its corolla is light green. The flower is greenish-white with a pink hue. It has a pitcher shape, leaning towards the ground, and has a pleasant honey aroma. The main pollinators are bees, bumblebees, and wasps.

The diameter of the berries is on average 7 mm. Ripening depends on the climatic conditions of the specific region. Usually, harvesting takes place in the summer, from late July to early September. Due to uneven ripening, the harvest can be collected several times during the season.

Note! Bilberries can easily be confused with poisonous plants such as wolfberry and crowberry. Edible berries are distinguished by their deep blue-black color with a characteristic bluish bloom and a flattened shape at the top.

Distribution Range

Bilberry is widely distributed in North America, western and northern Europe, Greenland, Mongolia, Russia, and Japan.

The shrub prefers moderately shaded marshy areas with acidic soil. It tolerates frost well. Direct sunlight and heat increase the risk of drying out the berries, making it difficult to grow bilberries in the southern regions of the country.

Most often, the plant is found in mixed and coniferous forests, birch groves. Trees provide the necessary semi-shade. Bilberry can also be found in tundra zones and highlands.

Areas of Application

In ancient Rus’, bilberry was considered a “miraculous” berry. People used to say:

“If you have bilberries in your house, you don’t need a doctor.”

And it’s true. Thanks to its high content of vitamins and micronutrients necessary for the human body, the berry found its main application in traditional and folk medicine. However, it is also used in culinary, cosmetology, textile industry, and landscape design.

Benefits

Bilberries have a wide range of beneficial properties and are widely used in traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals. The main advantages of the berry include:

• Improves digestion, normalizes metabolism, and lowers blood sugar levels, especially when combined with dairy products.
• Folklore suggests that the berry improves twilight vision, though this has not been scientifically confirmed.
• Possesses antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.
• Boosts immunity.
• Used for the prevention of various diseases, including cancer, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, heart attacks, and thrombosis.
• Improves visual function, particularly blood circulation in the retina.
• Promotes eye health, aiding in the renewal of the retina and enhancing visual acuity.
• Reduces blood clotting.
• Bilberry leaf tea has diuretic effects.
• Regulates hemoglobin levels and removes salts from the body.
• Improves skin, hair, and nail health.
• Bilberry juice helps treat colds and viral diseases when used externally.
• Aids in weight management.

Consuming bilberries benefits the body not only when eaten fresh but also as part of vitamin complexes.

Harm and Contraindications

In some cases, bilberries should be consumed with caution:

• Excessive consumption can cause constipation.
• Allergic reactions may occur.
• Prolonged use of folk remedies made from bilberry leaves may cause symptoms of food poisoning.
• Not recommended during pregnancy.
• Contraindicated for those with pancreatic diseases, kidney stones, and liver or gallbladder disorders.

Growing and Care

Bilberry is a wild and very capricious berry. To grow it in artificial conditions, it is necessary to carefully prepare the soil, making it moist and acidic. The planting material consists of plant seeds. Seedlings are transplanted into open ground two weeks after emergence.

To create the necessary partial shade, it is recommended to plant the bilberry bushes under the canopy of trees. Also, gardeners use the vegetative method of propagation. Planting usually occurs in the autumn-spring period and depends on the weather conditions. Bilberries better take root in the autumn. Bilberry requires increased attention and regular care from the gardener.

Interesting Facts About Bilberries

1. Bilberry juice is an excellent food dye. In Ancient Rome, bilberry juice was used to dye the clothing of slaves. In past centuries, artists used the juice to make paints with violet and purple shades.
2. In Germany, there is a real “bilberry town”—Eggesin. Every year, during the berry festival, the residents of the town choose the Bilberry Queen.
3. Nature has devised an interesting method of bilberry propagation: the seeds are not digested in the body, so they can be carried by birds to a new habitat along with droppings.
4. Bilberry helps to eliminate radioactive waste from the body.
5. When subjected to culinary processing, bilberries do not lose their beneficial properties.
6. The English use the word “blueberry” to refer to both bilberries and blueberries.
7. The peculiar inclination of bilberry flowers protects pollen from inclement weather.
8. Bilberry is a low-calorie berry, included in many diets. In 100 grams of the product, there are only 44 kcal.
9. The berry contains vitamins A, B, C, and PP, as well as natural beta-carotene, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, magnesium, iron, and tannins.
10. Every year, the Russian city of Krasnovishersk hosts the “Bilberry and Bilberry Pie Festival.” In 2012, the largest pie in the country was made there, which entered the “Records of Russia” book.
11. Bilberries are included in the diet of astronauts as a mandatory product.
12. The closest relatives of bilberries are cranberries, blueberries, and lingonberries.
13. The berry is also beneficial for the human brain, improving memory.
14. In ancient times, bilberries were attributed magical properties. They were placed under the doormat for protection against evil spirits.