Bilberry

Bilberries (/ˈbɪlbəri/) are Eurasian low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium in the flowering plant family Ericaceae that bear edible, dark blue berries.

The name "bilberry" appears to have a Scandinavian origin, possibly from as early as 1577, being similar to the Danish word bølle for whortleberry with the addition of "berry".

[1] In Scandinavian languages, terms for bilberries have names that carry the meaning "blueberry": e.g. blåbär in Swedish and blåbær in Danish and Norwegian.

[citation needed] The bilberry (especially Vaccinium myrtillus) is generally known as blaeberry /ˈbleɪbɛri/ in Scottish and Northern English regional dialects,[2] and whortleberry /ˈhwɜːrtəbri/ in southern England.

[2] Bilberries—which are native to Europe—are different from North American blueberries, although the species are closely related and belong to the same genus, Vaccinium.

Bilberry are non-climacteric fruits with a smooth, circular outline at the end opposite the stalk, whereas blueberries retain persistent sepals there, leaving a rough, star-shaped pattern of five flaps.

In Poland, they are eaten fresh (often mixed with sugar), as a filling in a sweet yeast-leavened bun known as jagodzianka, in jams (known for their health benefits in the treatment of diarrhoea) and with śmietana (a soured cream) or unsoured cream as a sauce for rice or pasta for a light summertime meal.

[citation needed] One review of low-quality clinical research concluded there was no evidence that consuming bilberries improves night vision.