15 Types of Berries in India | Berries Found in India

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Last Updated: 19.10.2023
Dhruvdeep Singh
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Meet Dhruv, a writer and nature lover from Amritsar, Punjab, who fell in love with gardening during the lockdown. With a B.Tech in Computer Science and over four years of writing experience, he brings a tech-savvy perspective to gardening. Dhruv's articles are a journey into the world of plants, offering exciting adventures for fellow nature enthusiasts.

Read the article to know all about the Types of Berries in India and enjoy these refreshing, juicy little fruits whenever you can!


What are Berries?

Generally, berries are pulpy, sweet little edible fruits that are usually round or oblong, without seeds. They can have a taste that varies from sweet to sour and tart. However, the botanical definition of berries includes a lot of fruit and vegetables that we generally don’t call berries. For example, tomatoes, brinjals, cucumbers, etc. Apart from the common berries that are known worldwide, the following article contains a list of Types of Berries in India!

Check Out the 10 Most Exotic Fruit Trees You Can Grow in India here!


15 Types of Berries in India

1. Jamun

Botanical Name: Syzygium cumini

Common Names: Java plum, Jam, Phanir, Jambu, Neredu, Negai

Native to the Indian subcontinent, Jamuns are grown throughout the year in tropical and subtropical areas. The purple-colored, oblong fruit comes with sweet juicy flesh and is loved by all, even more by children for the purple color that it leaves in the mouth after eating!

Check Out How to Grow Jamun ka Ped here!

2. Shahtoot

Botanical Name: Morus alba

Common Names: Mulberry, Kambli Chedi, Mucukkattaip Palam, Hippunerale, Tutee, Shetur, Shatut

These colorful berries are native to tropical regions of Asia and very rare fruit in India. Shahtoots taste sweet and are a natural coolant, eaten during summer. These fruits have many health benefits as they help in digestion, cough, cold, improving eyesight, etc.

3. Kosam

Botanical Name: Schleichera oleosa

Common Names:  Kusum, Cakota, Posku, Lac tree, Posku

These berries are native to the Indian subcontinent and have yellow colored exotic-looking fruits. Kosams are wild berries that occur mainly in the forests of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Also referred to as Kusum in Hindi, its oil also has many uses in traditional medicine.

4. Amla

Botanical Name: Phyllanthus emblica

Common Names: Nelli, Amalaka, Aonla, Anwla, Amla, Indian gooseberry

Amla is one of the healthiest berries present in India. The fruit not only has a lot of uses in cooking, but it is also used in the making of achar, chutney, murabba, and jams, etc. Apart from that, it is loaded with nutrients and is an important part of the Indian medicinal system.

Check Out Everything About Growing Amla in Pots here!

5. Chironji

Botanical Name: Buchanania lanzan

Common Names: Chirounji, Charoli, Piyal, Charu, Prasavakh, Char

The crunchy, almond-flavored seeds are famously added to many desserts in India. Their cultivation takes place in all parts of the country. Its tree produces sweet black little berries under which the charoli seeds are present.

6. Goji

Types of berries in India: goji berry

Botanical Name: Lycium barbarum

Common Names: Goji berries, Wolfberries, Murali

You can eat goji berries in both fresh and dried forms. They are slightly sour, just like the raisins. These berries are a rich source of Vitamin C, making them good for eyes and skin. They can also be helpful in weight loss.

How to Grow Strawberries at Home in India here!

7. Phalsa

Botanical Name: Grewia asiatica

Common Names: Phulsa, Chadicha, Unnu, Falsa, Phutiki, Shukri, Sherbet berry

The sweet and sour flavor of sherbet berry is what makes it different from others on the list. They are cultivated widely in the warm regions of the country. Famous for its cooling properties, phalsa is often eaten as fresh food and used in making beverages and syrups, etc.

8. Lasoda

types of berries in India: lasoda

Botanical Name: Cordia dichotoma

Common Names: Indian cherry, Bhokar, Lasora, Bankanakkera, Botgiri, Lamkelaba, Bahubara, Muk, Bohori, Gunda, Nisora, Dela

Lasoda is also one of the most common types of berries in India, found in states like Rajasthan. It is a nutritious, ayurvedic plant with a lot of medicinal uses. The fruit is useful in treating many diseases like cough and cold, skin diseases, diarrhea, fever, and wounds.

9. Karonda

Types of berries in India: Karonda

Botanical Name: Carissa carandas

Common Names: Karanda, Peddakalavi, Kalakkai, Karvand, Kavali, Hoovu, Chirukila, Sirukilaa, Koromcha.

It is another type of small berry that comes with a tangy-sweet taste and a dark red color. The taste of the fruit gets sweeter as it matures. Karonda grows mostly in the hilly regions of India and used in the preparation achar, chutney, and jams.

10. Zara Berry

Botanical Name: Hypnale zara

Common Name: Bardez Taluka

The color of these berries is purple-black with green seeds. They have their cultivation in and around Goa. Zara Berries, too, has many health benefits and helps to keep a check on diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.

11. Harfarauri

Botanical Name: Phyllanthus acidus

Common Names: Star gooseberry, Rajamavali, Gihori, Aranelli, Hariful, Budde Hannu, Nellila

These berries are visible throughout the tropical and subtropical parts of Asia. The tree has small berries of yellow color; hence it also holds ornamental values. Apart from that, it also has some medicinal uses in the treatment of digestive disorders like piles, diarrhea, and urinary concretions.

12. Kokum

Botanical Name: Garcinia indica

Common Names: Murgal, Devana Huli, Vrikshamia, Kokamba, Ratamba, Bhiranda, Aamsul, Brinda, Katambi, Aamsol

The tree bears a lot of fruits during the summer season, turning to purple during maturity. In addition to having various industrial and culinary uses, this tree has a huge canopy that serves as a decorative in gardens as well.

13. Ber

Botanical Name: Ziziphus mauritiana

Common Names: Bor, Boroi, Badri, Indian plum

One of the most popular berries in India, children, and adults, both relish the fruit alike. Famous for their tart-like, sweet taste, these fruits can be eaten in fresh and dried forms. They make for an excellent low-calorie snack and have various health benefits.

14. Angoor

different varieties of berries in India

Botanical Name: Vitis vinifera

Common Names: Angur, Grapes

Angoor or grapes are among the best types of berries in India that do not need an introduction. Grapes, apart from being a famous fruit that is relishable by all, also has multiple industrial uses in making jellies, jams, juices, wines, etc.

Check Out How to Grow Grapes at Home here!

15. Rasbhari

Types of berries in India

Botanical Name: Physalis peruviana

Common Names: Cape Gooseberry, Tipari, Tankasi, Kuntali, Cherry poha, Chirbot, Phopati

This low-fat berry has rich water content, which makes it good for diet food. Loaded with many other nutrients, the fruit has a list of health benefits and improves immunity. The fruit has good fructose content, making it suitable for weight watchers.

7 thoughts on “15 Types of Berries in India | Berries Found in India”

  1. There are many more berries that grow in India and need to be added to the list .eg sea buckthorn and many different berries in Rajasthan, up Nagpur and Punjab. UNFORTUNATELY INDIAN HORTICULTURAL POLICY IS A FRAUD .

    Reply
    • Dear Ajay,

      I’m helping people to design their own “food jungles” a name I made up to convey that its a food forest, but less tame and wilder than the typical permaculture style food forest which is usually more like an orchard, and has WAY too many highly cultured plants, rather then the wild plants of the region. I’m researching berry plants indigenous to the countries of my greatest readership to encourage people to ‘re-wild’ their food gardens and thus support global biodiversity which is nosediving fast. There is a huge difference in the distribution of INFORMATION. Plenty on the US or UK but when it came to India, I’m so frustrated by the type of information available. I’m so glad you made this comment. When I looked up China the search results were swamped by the goji berry and its so hard to dig down to the wild berries. I don’t know the plants of Asia. I’m from Africa and I’m researching other countries because I already know a lot of the berries from my region and I want to learn. I also hope to find richer information on the wild berries of India. Also China and Brazil. Its not going to be easy.

      cheers fellow botanical visionary !

      Reply
  2. curious, Hypnale zara is a deadly variety of snake and Bardez taluka a place in Goa… so what is the Zara berry…. ?

    Reply
  3. Very nice post about berries i have my own farm house in jaipur and I will love to root these jamun and phalsa and Shahtoot berris in my farm.

    Reply
  4. I am interested to grow a fruit plant in a pot on my terrace to attract birds. Bulbuls and barbets frequent my area. Can I choose phalsa ? Will it bear fruit in a 20 inch pot? I have learnt that birds love phalsa. It is also a low maintenance plant. Kindly give your opinion.

    Reply
  5. Thanks for your detailed report on berries in India. They are similar to what we have in Pakistan. Blushwood Berry is recently becoming famous for anti-cancer properties. Unfortunately I cannot read the Hindi script so I suppose the vernacular [roman] name would be “BER”? Please confirm. I am sure we can use such natural resources and i hope the Indo-Pakistan wealth of such healthy fruits will be exploited and presented to the world. Many thanks again!

    Reply

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