|  | Bilberries Bilberries are found in acidic soil in and around Copper Harbor and in a few other locations on the Keweenaw Peninsula. They are related to wild blueberries and huckleberries, belonging to the genus family Vaccinium. Bilberries produce single or paired berries on the bush instead of clusters, as the blueberry does. The fruit is larger than that of the wild blueberry and is darker in color. When ripe, usually in late July and August, they are a dark shiny purple. Blueberries are sweet. Bilberries are tart and are easier on the palate when cooked with sugar. A good way to check if you have found a bilberry is look at the inside pulp. If the pulp is red you have found a bilberry. After picking several ripe bilberries you will find that your fingers are turning purple. The stain is considered a badge of honor as it means you have found the best tasting berry. If the meat is light green, it is a blueberry which is delicious to eat right off the bush.
Studies have shown that bilberries contain anthocyanin which has excellent antioxidant properties. Bilberries are believed to have medicinal effects which may improve the circulation of blood and maybe an effective digestive aid.
In addition to being found on the Keweenaw, bilberries are also found in Canada, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Poland, Italy, Turkey, Russia, England, Wales, and Ireland. Some common names for the bilberry are whortleberry, huckleberry, and European blueberry. |
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| |  | Thimbleberry Thimbleberry is a member of the Rose family (Rubus). Members of the family include strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, salmonberry, dewberry and others. This native plant can also be found from Maine to northern California except for the Dakotas. We have also found in our research that thimbleberries grow in Alaska, Canada, northern Mexico, and in Finland.
The thimbleberry plant is easy to recognize by its large maple shaped leaves. The leaves are fuzzy and soft to the touch thus making them useful as toilet paper if caught in the woods with an urge to go. The thornless stalks usually grow in large clumps about three to four feet tall. They prefer to grow along roadsides and in deciduous forests. The flowers are white with five petals and yellow stamens looking very much like a wild rose blossom. In other areas the flowers may be pink or lavender. The fruit is bright red when ripe (mid to late summer) and has a distinct tart flavor unlike any of its relatives. Usually there are five to seven berries on a head but only one to two berries will ripen at the same time.
Thimbleberry fruits are softer and flatter than raspberries. The fruit when picked can be placed over the finger as a thimble, perhaps giving the thimbleberry its name. The fruit may also have been named for the Thimble Islands in Connecticut as the plant has been known to grow on the islands. The fruit contains numerous soft seeds and is very delicate. Because the fruit is so delicate it can not be washed and needs to be picked over to remove trash and bugs that like to hide under the cap. Also because of its delicate nature one rarely sees fresh thimbleberries for sale. They need to be processed into jam or sauce immediately after picking or frozen to be used later. |
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