Before you gobble down what you think is a strawberry, hold up! Call out these imposters with our list of 8 Berries that Look like Strawberries!
Even a toddler can look at a strawberry and call it one! But as the saying goes–all that glitters is not gold, and all berries that look like strawberries are not so! With this article, you’ll learn to discern the real ones from these mimics.
8 Berries that Look Like Strawberries
1. Mock Strawberry
Botanical Name: Duchesnea indica
Also known as the Indian Strawberry, this one’s a bootleg of the true strawberry. With a similar red, bumpy texture, it’s a reasonable misunderstanding. But an easy giveaway is its tiny size, much smaller than the strawberry. And in a single bite, you’ll have caught this poser red-handed, as it is way less sweet, with a dry, bland taste.
2. Red Raspberry
Botanical Name: Rubus idaeus
Edible, sweet, tarty, but not a strawberry! Red Raspberries look like strawberries from afar because of their red, juicy, conical clustered appearance. But even if you popped them expecting the other, you’ll only be pleasantly surprised.
3. Balloon Berry
Botanical Name: Rubus illecebrosus
Even a trained eye may struggle to distinguish these Japanese natives from true strawberries. Its luscious reddish-magenta form will make you wish these were strawberries!
But fret not; these fruits are just as sweet and juicy, with a slightly chewier texture than strawberries. Maybe they even look like a bunch of raspberries clumped together!
4. Barren Strawberry
Botanical Name: Waldsteinia fragarioides
Often, the delicate and bright yellow flowers of this plant overshadow the tiny red strawberry-like fruit. The plant is mostly used as an ornamental groundcover, and its fruit is ignored because it is inedible.
5. Salmonberry
Botanical Name: Rubus spectabilis
Mostly appearing in orange, when it ripens, the salmonberry does take on a reddish hue, looking somewhat similar to the strawberry. Found in moist, forested areas, these large fruits are not true berries and are mildly tart and sweet.
6. Thimbleberry
Botanical Name: Rubus parviflorus
Thimbleberries are tart and sweet and have red, textured surfaces like our strawberries. But when you pluck these fruits, they are hollow inside, like a thimble. Of course, you can eat them, though.
7. Mulberry
Botanical Name: Morus Rubra
Clusters of these deep red fruits may sometimes be misconstrued for strawberries, at least from afar. But these grow on the tall branches of the mulberry tree, which is very unlike the short, low-growing strawberry plant.
Mulberries are deliciously sweet and juicy and just the right kind of sour. So if you made a mistake in identifying them, you’ll surely not regret it.
8. Loganberry
Botanical Name: Rubus × loganobaccus
An accidental breeding by amateur botanist James Harvey Logan led to this cross between raspberries and blackberries. Loganberries look like strawberries because of their red, elongated, and seedy appearance. They have a tart, tangy flavor and a soft, juicy texture and are, therefore, top picks for making jam, pies, and puddings.
