Pun Fun With Berries Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bearberry

Bearberries grow well in colder climates around the world, including the arctic, and, rather amazingly, they can also grow in sand as well. Their name has come about because, unsurprisingly, they are said to be a food of choice for bears - and of course, with "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" this is where the pun rests for this berry.

These little red berries have been used for centuries by different indigenous groups of people to treat both kidney and urinary infections, but only in small quantities, otherwise nausea can occur. Native Americans collected and dried out these berries to use as a tobacco substitute as well.

Answer: Seaberry

Also known as sea buckthorns, these orange to yellow berries are a traditional medicine in Mongolia, China, Canada and a range of northern European countries. Interestingly as well, because of their highly functioning root systems, seaberries are used to combat soil erosion, and, because of their nitrogen content, are good for enriching the soil, providing nutrients for wildlife, and are used in the manufacture of assorted skincare products. The name has possibly come about because it grows well in coastal areas where the salt air doesn't bother it and allows it to thrive where other plants cannot. So, coastal areas, salt air, sea - and Popeye - gives you the association for this pun.

This amazing berry is also used for anti-desertification purposes as well, to stabilise river banks and help with water retention when planted on dry river beds, and, as far as human consumption goes, you'll find it in fruit juices, syrup, jams, pies, shower gel, tea - and even in ice-cream. Oh, yum. Popeye doesn't need spinach, he should just munch into seaberries instead.

Answer: Mulberry

Mulberries, which are related to figs, are bursting at the seams with health benefits, and contain vitamins C, E and K, along with potassium and iron. I planted a mulberry tree in the back yard, so feel healthier already after reading that. Except it was planted to feed the wild birds, so I probably won't even get to taste one. These berries, which come in red, black and white as well as a deep purple, grow throughout the Middle East, southern Europe and Africa and down here in Australia as well. They grow rather tall but are such a lovely sight when mature - green, shady and filled with birdsong. Only the male mulberry produces pollen, and that, unfortunately, has seen it banned in some parts of USA, to protect allergy sufferers - but the female ones are safe.

Mulberries are used in various foods and drinks and the leaves provide an absolute treat for silkworms, thereby increasing production of the silk industry. Humans can also consume the young tender twigs (cooked) as well as the fruit of this amazing tree - as my professor friend informs me when he "mulls" over his thesis on mulberries (giving us the pun for this question). In addition to its many other blessings, paper can be made from the bark of a mulberry tree, and exquisitely-coloured small furniture from its wood. All in all, it's just a tree full of goodness.

Answer: Pineberry

Pineberries are the result of breeding between two different species of strawberries, and the result looks rather like a white berry with deep red freckles, perhaps a little like the colour of the melancholy swain as he "pines" for his lost love in this pun. In addition to the mixed up appearance of this fruit, it doesn't taste like strawberries at all, but has a distinct pineapple flavour instead.

There isn't a great deal more information available for this interesting berry yet, as it was only identified in South America in 2002. No doubt that will change as the years pass by, but by the year 2000, it was only being grown in Belgium and the Netherlands, from where it was exported to bakeries and restaurants throughout Europe - and to Dubai. If it is like other strawberries, however, it is said to be good for the heart, reduces inflammation, and contains Vitamin C, folate, manganese and potassium.

Answer: Gooseberry

Gooseberries, which come in a wide range of colours, are native to the USA, Northern Europe and the UK, but the origin of their English name today is thought to be derived from the Dutch "kruisbes" or the German "krausbeere", so who knows from where they originally came. In England, these berries are casually referred to as goosegogs. Originally, they were grown more for medicinal purposes rather than culinary ones, as it is believed that the juices of these berries could help alleviate fevers. The further north they are grown the more their taste is improved, so they're definitely a colder climate food.

The pun for this question rests on one of Aesop's Fables wherein a greedy couple had a hen (or, in other versions, a goose) that laid a golden egg every day, and, in trying to get at the gold they thought she kept inside her, the silly geese killed her. No more eggs.

Today gooseberries, which of course can be eaten raw, and are a great source of Vitamin C, are used to make pies, fruit wine, tea, and jam, and also as a flavour enhancer to soft drinks and - believe it or not - milk. Perhaps only a goose would be tempted to try that.

Answer: Dewberry

Dewberries, which are closely related to blackberries, including their colour, are different from blackberries in that they produce a smaller fruit and grow more along the ground, whereas their cousins have larger berries and grow in a more upright fashion. Dewberries also have a sweeter taste - but that's a matter of opinion, as many find their taste to be very tart. The fruit is used to make jams, pies, or a dessert known as cobbler - and the plant's leaves can be used to make herbal tea.

The reference to the goddess of the dawn, who is known as Aurora in Roman myths, and who announces the coming day to the world as she travels across the sky, relates to the early morning dew which can be seen glistening beautifully on the grass every morning as the sun comes up. It's such a lovely time of the day.

Answer: Raspberry

Raspberries, a rich source of vitamin C, manganese and fibre, are members of the rose family of plants and are a perennial fruit which grow on a bush described as having woody stems. Don't all bushes have woody stems? They're a rather pretty berry to look at, even if you don't care for their flavour. Russia is the world's largest producer of raspberries. The roots of this plant can travel quite a way in a garden and tend to take over if not held in check.

Do you know how to tell the difference between a raspberry and other berries? When most other berries are harvested, each little green lid (known as a torus) stays on the berry - strawberries, for example - but with raspberries, each torus remains on the bush, leaving each raspberry with a neat little hole on the top when plucked.

A rasp is a coarse metal file - usually with a wooden handle - which assorted handymen use to file through, or shape, various objects of either wood or metal. Old cartoons of many years standing commonly feature outside accomplices of prison inmates smuggling in a rasp baked in a cake to incarcerated criminals, in order for them to file through the bars of their cell to escape.

Answer: Cloudberry

The beautifully coloured cloudberry is native to alpine and arctic areas of the world as it thrives in these climates, and in bogs, wet marshes and wetlands in particular. This plant, when it is opening up on its stem, is just a lovely sight - almost like a little berry lotus. Sadly today, however, cloudberries are considered endangered because of drainage and other means of exploitation of their traditional habitat. In Northern Ireland, for example, because they once grew prolifically in peat land there, there is now only one single site left where they can still be found.

If eaten fresh, cloudberries are somewhat tart in taste, but if allowed to over-ripen a little, they are said to be a little like sweetened yoghurt. They can be used to make jams, juices, liquers, toppings for pancakes and ice cream, and - oh yum, be still my aching tastebuds - can be made into a delicious dessert known as cloudberry cream, when beaten up with whipped cream and sugar. How cruel to have to type this up on the third day of a new diet!

Punwise, pilots and air hostesses, of course, are associated with clouds and other atmospheric weather conditions in the course of their jobs, so probably would delight in any dish made from cloudberries.

Answer: Chokeberry

Native to the eastern side of North America, chokeberries (known botanically as Aronia) grow well in swamps and wetland. These are easy on the eye as well as the stomach and are frequently planted as ornamental bushes in gardens. As far as pleasing the belly goes, chokeberries can be eaten raw, or used to make syrup, jam, wine, salsa (amazing!), tea and beer - and even those lollies known as gummies. The origin of the common name, chokeberry, comes about from the rather astringent taste of the raw plant which has the effect of making a person's mouth pucker up. These little berries are just loaded with heaps of vitamins and minerals - so pucker up and enjoy them.

And the pun? The choke on an older motor vehicles is especially useful when starting up a cold engine because it draws up fuel into the cylinders and helps kick the motor over. Definitely the berry of choice for garage mechanics - the old fashioned kind, that is. Most modern cars don't use chokes any more as they are fuel injected. How sad. Are even chokeberries destined for the wrecker's yard?

Answer: Serviceberry

Serviceberry is known by quite a few different names, which can be a little confusing. Some of these are shadbush, juneberry, sugar plum (that'd be a mighty big berry), saskatoon, and chuckley pear. Don't you just love that last name? Those different varieties of serviceberries are grown all over the United States and in parts of Canada. The Saskatoon variety was once believed to be effective in treating arthritis and cancer, and all the different varieties were a staple food of the indigenous people of that continent. Serviceberries are considered to be high in protein, valuable as an anti-oxidant, and have a taste that is a combination of strawberries, blueberries and almond. Indigenous people also used the wood from this plant to make fishing rods and the shafts for arrows, and, of course, the fruit of the serviceberry is used to make pies, wine, muffins and other treats.

All in all, a very "serviceable" berry for this pun. Those who work in the service industry cater to the needs of various customers. "From the bush to the table, thank you, waiter!" There is also a rather bizarre myth associated with the origin of this berry's name. It is thought by those of a fanciful nature, particularly in the Appalachian Mountains world, that, years ago, the name came about as a result of the flowers beginning to bloom on the plant. This indicated that the ground was beginning to thaw out from the winter. During that chilly season, it was so cold that graves could not be dug for those who had passed away - so they were left to freeze until they thawed out in spring when the burial services could be held. Sounds "berry" unlikely to me. What do you think?

Answer: Hackberry

Also known as sugarberry and beaver wood, these berries, or rather the plant they grow on, are part of the family of plants related to cannabis or hemp. The female flowers on this plant are green and round, while the male hackberry flowers are long and fuzzy. Like hippies? The fruit itself grows all over the Northern Hemisphere, and has a mildly sweet taste akin to dates. The hackberry tree is drought resistant and is grown widely for ornamental purposes, with its wood producing some beautiful furniture. This tree really is quite lovely, green and shady. (It's very hot here today in Australia. A hackberry tree would be a blessing in anyone's garden, but oh no, our government considers it a weed - so it won't be planted in this drought ridden country any time soon, unless given a botanical reprieve).

Hacking is a term used to describe any unauthorised access into the files of any individual or organisation or government. These hackers are utterly despicable, they can cause irreparable damage, financial ruin or individual grief. So, all things considered, forget the hackberries as part of their prison diet. Just bread and water instead. Let them hack into that.

Answer: Nannyberry

Nannyberries grow on small trees about 9 metres or 30 feet high, and are small black or blue fruit with a very sweet taste. They are found in the northeast and mid-west of the US and in southern parts of Canada. A particular favourite of mammals and birds, the fruit of the plant is ready for consumption in winter. Apart from its berries, indigenous Americans also used the bark and leaves of this tree to produce herbal medicines.

This berry-producing tree is a particular favourite for its fruits, its flowers and its visual appeal in parks and gardens. Wikipedia describes it as being "admired for its compact habit, its lustrous foliage which insects rarely disfigure, its beautiful and abundant flowers, its handsome edible fruit and its brilliant autumnal color". So what could be a more appropriate pun for all the little Nannies out there - beautiful and compact (ahem) with lovely coloured hair and skin? Quite possibly as well, this lovely berry producing tree gives warm and loving hugs for any children playing under its sheltering and protective branches.

Answer: Thimbleberry

Thimbleberries are sweet red fruits that grow on dense bushes right throughout North America. This bush is noted for its lack of thorns, its sweet taste and the beautiful and delicate little white flowers that bloom before the production of the fruit. It is not grown commercially in this land of plenty, but in the wild is a great favourite of birds, bears and black-tailed deer. I sometimes wonder if North America, a land of so much plenty - its wild fruits, its fish, its birds, its animals, its life giving shrubs, trees and other plants, its natural medicines, its exquisite forests, its timbers, its sheer beauty - is another Promised Land - mach II.

Thimbles are small protective devices worn on the phalange of your choice (usually the thumb) during any sewing by hand, to protect fingers and thumbs from sharp needle pricks - so obviously, by association, thimbleberries are the perfect treat to give to seamstresses. The use of thimbles dates right back at least to the 10th century in England, and no doubt elsewhere as well. There is a lot of interesting information about this device available in reputable reference works online if you ever wish to look it up for yourself. For example, the etymology of the word "thimble" derives from the old English word "pymel" - and the Old English word of "puma" has evolved into today's word of "thumb".

Answer: Elderberry

The most commonly used berry for various medicinal and herbal cures world wide, elderberries, which grow right throughout the Northern Hemisphere, begin producing small cream coloured fruit in late spring, followed by the familiar black, blue-black or red as they mature. One of the few berries approved by health inspectors, these are allowed in various food products as natural colour additives, and are used in assorted dye products as well. Elderberries are also used widely in the treatment of colds and flu symptoms as they are loaded with Vitamin C - but please do NOT eat any part of the Sambucus species of this berry, or its plant, in its raw state, as it is considered toxic. It has to be cooked first.

As far as various Protestant faiths go, and this pun, elders are senior members of their churches, and are looked upon as carrying a degree of authority and wisdom in church matters. In indigenous cultures, once again, elders are senior members of a culture, with the authority to pass down the particular history and culture of their tribal groups, and considered invaluable resources of information long, long before the advent of written history.

Answer: Wolfberry

The beautiful orange coloured wolfberry, also known as the goji berry, is distantly related to the nightshade family of plants, and has been used for centuries in Asian cuisine, in health foods and in alternative medicine. Because the plant is also classed in the Lycium family, it is believed its English name was mistakenly derived from the Greek Lycium which means wolf, but, who knows, nobody is really sure. However, a wolf by modern literary interpretations is also a label attached to gentlemen who too enthusiastically chase after the ladies even when their advances are rejected, so that's where the pun lies for this question.

When dried out, wolfberries have a taste akin to raisins, the shoots and leaves are consumed as vegetables, and it has many rather exaggerated claims as to its health benefits which has seen western medicine up in arms determined to prove otherwise. Best perhaps, until the dust settles over these, to keep the wolf away from the door. It has definitely been proved to be an effective insecticide, though, so China, which is the world's largest supplier of these berries, cultivates them over thousands of acres for export purposes.