Grapes are berries or fruits: definitions and theories

Are grapes a berry or a fruit, do you think? Every gardener has asked this question at least once. Some refer to the fruit as a fruit, others as a berry. Let's finally decide who is right in the end.

History of grapes

Grapes are a popular fruit that is actively used in cooking, dietetics, cosmetology, and medicine. This demand is mainly due to the taste and the content of a huge amount of useful microelements.

Grapes grew on Earth more than 50 million years ago

According to archaeologists, the bush grew on Earth more than 50 million years ago. This is evidenced by the grape seeds found during excavations.

Regarding the homeland of the fruit crop, opinions differ significantly. Someone adheres to the point of view that the place of origin was Asia, someone calls the Transcaucasia.

Another alternative option for the homeland of the shrub is Georgia. This theory is based on ancient jugs found on the territory of the country, painted with images of a vine.

The bush was also known in Ancient Greece. From numerous myths and legends about the god Dionysus, it is known how popular grape wine was at that time.

The culture was spread in America as well. Sour varieties prevailed there, which were eaten by the Indians. Over time, new varieties were brought to the mainland, which were actively used in the field of winemaking.

In Russia, the appearance of grapes is associated with 1613, when Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich planted several bushes in Astrakhan. To date, more than 150 varieties grow on the territory of Russia. The most common types are:

  • dining room;
  • wine;
  • drying;
  • universal.

Video "Why grapes are useful"

In this video, you will learn about the beneficial properties of grapes.

Features of terminology

Trying to find the answer to what grapes are all the same, it is worth understanding the terminology itself.

Berries, by the way, are part of the fruit, that is, they belong to their class. Their main difference is in the peel - it is thinner and more fragile. With regard to the structure of the fruit (the presence of seeds, pulp), fruit and berry are similar.

Why fruit

According to botanical dictionaries, fruits are considered fruits that have seeds and grow from an inflorescence on a branch of a tree or shrub. Fruit, by the way, is synonymous with the term “fruit”. Their main difference is that "fruit" is considered a scientific term, while "fruit" is more common in colloquial speech.

Why berry

Berries are found mainly on shrubs, characterized by the presence of an intercarp and an intracarp. Referring to botanical dictionaries, one can confidently call a berry any fruit that has a soft peel, pulp and seeds.

Given the above, we can conclude that grapes are still berries. It has pulp, many small seeds, small size.

Trees

Berries

Flowers