Despite the fact that blueberries and blueberries belong to the same heather family, they are two different berries. They differ both in external parameters and useful properties. Beginning amateur gardeners can not always distinguish between such plants. This article will help you understand the features and learn the distinguishing features of these shrubs.

External differences

First of all, let us dwell on the external differences and the description of blueberries and blueberries.

• Shrub height.  Blueberries are far superior in size to blueberries, as this plant can reach 1.5 meters in height. Blueberries, on the contrary, are able to spread along the ground, so it does not grow upward.
• Stem.In blueberries, it is more numb, covered with bark, has a lighter shade. At the same time, blueberries have green shoots, which are characterized by a darker color. The bark of the stem is not covered.
• The shape of the berries.  In shape, the fruits of blueberries resemble a pear, they are slightly elongated. While blueberry berries have a rounded shape.
• Berry size. Blueberry berries are slightly larger than blueberries.
• Fruit color. Blueberries have a dark blue color, there is a slight white coating. Blueberry fruits have a bluish-blue color.
• Pulp color. These berries are easily distinguished by the color of the pulp and juice. The blueberry pulp has a dark blue color and can even stain your hands and clothes. While the flesh of blueberries has a greenish tint, leaving no visible marks on hands or things.
• Taste qualities. If you compare both berries to taste, then gourmets will prefer a rich blueberry flavor, while sour blueberries may not appeal to everyone.
• Cultivation.  Blueberry shrubs are wild-growing plants, often they are not cultivated. Breeders mainly work with blueberry seedlings.

Useful material

There is also a difference in the amount of nutrients that make up both berries. Both berries are considered low-calorie:

• 100 grams of blueberries contains 57 kilocalories;
• 100 grams of blueberries includes a total of 39 kilocalories.

Blueberries are rich in vitamins and minerals. Its structure includes:

• tannins;
• acids of organic origin;
• b and C vitamins;
• carotene;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• potassium;
• copper;
• phosphorus.

Blueberries can also boast a number of useful substances. The composition of its fruits includes such useful elements as:

• cellulose;
• sodium;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• carotenoids;
• vitamins A, C, PP, K and group B.

It can be concluded that the use of both fruits can saturate the human body with a large number of vitamins and minerals, which has a beneficial effect on the state of health.

Distinctive properties of plants

Both berries are widely used both in traditional medicine and in folk methods of confronting various ailments.

The benefits of blueberries.

• Healing properties are possessed not only by fruits, but also by blueberry leaves. A decoction of them is widely used as a natural antibacterial agent. It is used to treat throat, cough, as well as to get rid of ailments that are infectious.
• The best-known healing properties of blueberries are used to minimize the risk of impaired visual function. Therefore, this plant is one of the components of various drugs aimed at improving the quality of vision. This plant is effective for combating conjunctivitis.
• Due to the presence of astringent properties, tincture from this shrub is used during diarrhea.

• This plant is very effective for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as it is able to improve the intestinal microflora and has a disinfecting effect on the stomach.
• Berries contain a large amount of antioxidants, so it is recommended to eat them to prevent the formation of low-grade tumors.
• Since the fruits of this shrub include pectin, they allow you to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, as well as other dangerous substances.
• Regular consumption of blueberries is a preventive way to avoid serious heart and vascular diseases. Eating these berries on an ongoing basis allows you to cope with the symptoms of diabetes. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the immune system. The anti-inflammatory properties of blueberries are used to get rid of rheumatism, colitis, various diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as the kidneys and liver.
• In folk medicine, various recipes based on this plant are used to heal the purulent wounds of the dermis and treat burns. Very often, blueberry pulp is added to a variety of cosmetics that are used to care for the skin of the face.

The benefits of blueberries.

• The benefits of blueberries have long been known for the fact that this berry helps to cope with a variety of oncological ailments. Pectins, which are part of this plant, allow you to remove radionuclides and compounds of heavy metals. Due to the presence of vitamin P, it is used to prevent varicose veins, as it can increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels.
• Since this berry normalizes the metabolic processes in the body and reduces the proportion of sugar in the blood, it is recommended to use it for people suffering from diabetes. It allows you to significantly enhance the effectiveness of drugs, a similar property becomes very relevant during the medical treatment of serious ailments.
• Vitamin A contained in the structure of blueberries helps relieve stress and helps restore vision. Regular eating of berries of this plant has a positive effect on human memory.

• Patients suffering from gastritis with low acidity, it is recommended to eat berries, grated with sugar. In addition, the fruits of this shrub are distinguished by antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Teas and decoctions, which are based on the dried fruits of this shrub, are used to combat dysentery and diarrhea. Vitamin drinks are prepared from leaflets. A decoction of leaves and twigs is useful for heart diseases.

It is very difficult to judge which fruits are healthier - blueberry or blueberry. Both berries have in their structure a large number of vitamins and minerals, they allow you to establish a variety of processes that take place in the human body.

Experts recommend eating blueberries if visual function deteriorates. But at the same time, if it is necessary to improve memory and brain activity, then it is more advisable to eat blueberries. If it is necessary to strengthen the immune system and fill the body with useful substances, then you can use both berries.

Contraindications

Despite the abundance of positive properties of both plants,   overuse can harm the body.

• Eat blueberries should be careful not to abuse this berry. Since it contains a large amount of antioxidants, its excessive consumption can provoke impaired muscle function, as they will not receive enough oxygen.
• Women during pregnancy and breastfeeding also need to use the fruits of this shrub with caution, since the substances that make up them can cause intoxication or an allergic reaction in the baby.
• Patients suffering from biliary dyskinesia should not consume such fruits, as this can cause an exacerbation of this disease.

Blueberries should be eaten with caution by people who:

• suffer from urolithiasis, namely: they have oxalate stones;
• have pancreatic dysfunction;
• an imbalance in the functioning of the liver and gall bladder is observed;
• have individual intolerance to the components that make up these berries.

Please note that the fruits of this shrub should be eaten separately, not mixed with other berries or fruits. They do not go well with raspberries, strawberries and strawberries.

Taste qualities

Assessing the taste of both fruits is quite difficult, since each berry has its own supporters. The taste of blueberries and blueberries differs significantly.

Blueberry berries are sweeter. Therefore, very often they are used to create a variety of desserts, as well as a filling for pies and dumplings. Despite the rather sweet taste, their calorie content is very low, so even people leading a healthy lifestyle and who prefer diet food can fear blueberries without fear.

Blueberry fruits have a sour taste and greater fleshiness. They are also used to prepare a variety of sweets, but combine this berry with sugar or syrup. The taste of blueberries will appeal to those sweet tooth who prefer that the dessert is not sugary-sweet, and felt a slight sourness of berries and fruits that make up its composition.

   Blueberry jam

   Blueberry pie

Features of transportation and storage

Both types of fruits are transported quite difficult, because during transportation and delivery to their destination they quickly crumple and deteriorate. Fruits are stored in a cool place for no more than 2 weeks.

Both blueberry and blueberry can be harvested for the winter in the form of compotes. They are also perfectly stored in frozen or dried form, preserving the entire set of useful and nutrients.

See the next video for a comparison of blueberries and blueberries.

Residents of the southern latitudes do not even realize how rich the berries of the tundra or Siberian forests are. But it was there that such berries as blueberries and blueberries took root.

Many of those who did not see firsthand how these berries grow, believe that blueberries and blueberries are one and the same. Like, people want to call it what they want. But in fact, these berries are united only by a common family - heather. Yes, "place of residence" - the tundra, forests and swamps. Although it should be noted that blueberries have advanced further than the northern regions and are found even in the Caucasus, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East.

And the rest are completely different berries. Of course, if you do not look at them from a "bird's-eye view", but try to figure it out by looking at the bushes in the vicinity: touch it, taste it.

The benefits of blueberries

Many people know about blueberries. After all, it is blueberries that have a beneficial effect on the retina. It is on its basis that modern medicines prescribed by oculists are made.

Also found in the fruits are tannins, which help the body cope with diarrhea, fermentation in the intestines, enterocolitis.

Blueberries lower blood sugar.

Blueberries contain vitamins C, A, PP, B, as well as iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, chromium, sulfur, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, pectins, fiber ...

The benefits of blueberries

Blueberries are rich in vitamins C, K, PP, A, B, pectins, trace elements: magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron.
  Blueberries have nicotinic, malic, ascorbic, oxalic, and acetic acids.

It also improves metabolism.

Strengthens blood vessels, improves heart function.

Blueberries have a diuretic, choleretic, anti-zingotic, anti-sclerotic, antimicrobial action.
  Due to the large number of tannins, blueberries improve the digestive system.

Eating blueberries prevents skin aging.

If you need to improve your health and purposefully eat this or that berry, then how to understand these two plants?

How to distinguish blueberries from blueberries

Knowledgeable people believe that these berries can be identified by the appearance of a bush. But in fact, this is not so simple. After all, both blueberries and blueberries at a young age are shrubs up to 50 cm high. And only at an older age, blueberries become higher, sometimes reaching one and a half meters. Therefore, the size of the bush is not worth considering. The main thing is not this.

If you look closely at the structure of the leaves and the elasticity of the twigs, you will notice that the blueberries have flexible, greenish twigs, so blueberries most often spread along the ground, and blueberries have lignified branches, not only at the bottom, but also at the top. And much brighter.

Blueberry and blueberry leaves are also slightly different from each other. Blueberries have ovoid leaves, but with a sharp tip and slightly serrated edges. In blueberries, leaflets are most often with a slightly blunted tip and a little wider. But most often the leaves are almost the same.

By the way, by the location of the berries on the bush, you can also determine their name. Blueberries grow individually, and blueberries form clusters.

Blueberries and blueberries are only at first sight similar to each other. But a closer look reveals that blueberries have a deep dark blue, almost black color with a touch of light. And the blueberry lives up to its name - it is a bluish-blue color. If you compare the size of these berries, you can see that blueberries are slightly smaller than blueberries.

And finally, to determine the exact name of the berry, it’s enough ... crush it with your fingers.

Blueberries instantly dye their hands in a dark blue color, which is very difficult to wash off. Not without reason, blueberry juice is used in the form of a purple dye, for example, in the meat industry for branding meat.

Sometimes the fact that our vast forests and picturesque mountainsides are so rich in various berries brings not only joy, but also misunderstandings. For example, confusion in the names. Have you ever wondered what are the differences between blueberries and blueberries?

Definition

Blueberries- a species of shrub of the genus vaccinium, heather family with berries of the same name.

Blueberry- berry shrub of the same family and genus. That is, blueberries and blueberries are different species of the same family and genus. Botanists find some differences between them. So, look at the plant: often a bush of blueberries is higher than a bush of blueberries, so that blueberry berries almost creep on the ground. The blueberry plant has a stiff, hard stalk almost to the top, which can not be said about blueberries, which remain soft not only the youngest shoots, but often the middle branches of the bush. Blueberries have darker stems and dark juice of the berries themselves, while blueberry juice has no color. Blueberries, unlike blueberries, stain hands and tongue. The berries of both plants are peculiar in taste, they can be confused, but if you adapt, the taste is also different. They say that the taste of blueberries is more saturated, and the taste of blueberries is more neutral, although more sweet. The color of the berries may match. But in general, there is a tendency to a bluish-blue hue for blueberries and almost black, sometimes with a white coating - for blueberries. Often you can find quite large berries of blueberries, which cease to be round, like blueberries, but are extended and become pear-shaped.

Blueberries
  Blueberry

Website conclusions

1. Blueberries as a plant below a bush with softer shoots
2. Blueberries are bigger, not as dark as blueberries
3. Blueberries have coloring properties, but blueberries do not

Blueberries and blueberries are very similar to each other. Both berries belong to the same Heather family. But between them there is a big difference both in the number of useful elements in the composition and in the main scope. Experienced gardeners easily determine which of them grows in the forest or on the site, according to characteristic external signs and other characteristics. These include taste, color, smell and some other features.

  Blueberries and blueberries - external differences between bushes and berries

The first sign that distinguishes blueberries from blueberries is the height of the bush. Blueberries grow much higher, and its thickets in some areas reach up to 1.5-2 meters. The direction of the shoots is mostly vertical. And blueberries are attributed to creeping plants, whose branches lean toward the ground.

Another external sign of difference is the stems of shrubs. In blueberries, they are strong, completely desalinating, while in the bilberry bush both small and immature green shoots are observed. Foliage also has certain differences. In the first case, it is wider, with blunt edges, and in the second, it acquires an ovoid, oval shape with pointed tips.

Blueberry berries are dotted and piecewise on branches, and blueberries grow in clusters. The sizes also differ: blueberries are smaller and have a more rounded shape of the fruit, in contrast to the slightly elongated, pear-shaped blueberry berries.

The pulp of blueberries is always dark, as is the dark-blue color of the shell. And for a blueberry a greenish hue of pulp and a beautiful, blue peel are characteristic. The juice of the first berry is easily soiled, dark blue, it is often used as a natural dye. Blueberry juice is lighter and practically devoid of coloring properties.

There are also differences in taste: blueberries are sweeter and richer, while blueberries are more watery and sour. The first berry is not classified as a cultivated plant, it grows better in the wild, but from the second it is often carried out selection work and successfully grown in the garden or in summer cottages.

  The composition and useful properties of blueberries

The composition of the berry includes a whole range of useful substances, including organic acids, vitamins C, B, A, beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, etc. This berry is classified as low-calorie foods, in 100 g of average fruits only 60 calories.

Blueberries have a large number of medicinal properties. It is actively used in the prevention and treatment of visual impairment, added to the composition of the relevant pharmaceutical preparations. Due to the high level of antioxidants and astringent qualities, the berry is used in the fight against diarrhea, intestinal infections, and also as an anti-inflammatory and antitumor agent.

It is also known for use in cosmetology - fresh pulp is added to the composition of face masks. In addition to berries, the foliage of blueberry bushes is also rich in useful substances, decoctions from which help with colds and normalize the functioning of the circulatory system.

  Composition and basic properties of blueberries

Blueberries are 89% water. It has an equally useful complex of substances and is actively used in pharmacology and traditional medicine. The berry is rich in B vitamins, carotides, potassium, phosphorus, fiber, etc.

Due to the presence of special anthocyanins, it is used for the prevention of cancer, and pectins contribute to the elimination of various harmful substances from the body.

The properties of blueberries are also actively used in the treatment of varicose veins, since it has a lot of useful vitamin P, which improves the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels.

As in the case of blueberries, not only fruits are rich in vitamins, but also the green part of the plant. Decoctions are brewed from it, which help well with diarrhea and other problems with the intestines or stomach.

  Features of growing blueberries in the garden

In order to grow a healthy and lush bilberry bush in the garden, it is necessary to create conditions for it that are as close as possible to the wild, forest environment. Responsibly approach the choice of a place for planting - a berry loves the sun, but grows well in partial shade.

Before the procedure, dig a hole at least 50 cm deep and fertilize the soil with sulfur, phosphorus, and the remnants of conifers. Blueberries are propagated by seed method or by finished seedlings. They can be found in the forest, preference should be given to low, young and well-developed bushes, they are dug up carefully, always with an earthen lump.

After that, put the bush in the dug hole, wetting the ground on the roots (which are straightened) with water. From above, they fill everything with soil mixed with fertilizers, lightly tamp the area and water it abundantly. Additionally, you can close the plantations with mulching material from spruce branches or maple leaves.

Seeds are first stratified, then sown in a spacious pot or other container with a substrate. The latter should consist of turf land mixed with fresh peat and river sand. All this is covered with a film on top and allowed the material to germinate in a dry and warm room.

2-3 weeks after the appearance of the sprouts, the seedlings are dived into new pots and then grown under optimal conditions, not forgetting about regular watering and mandatory mineral top dressing. In the open ground, seedlings are planted the next season after the initial planting.

  Technology of growing blueberries in the garden

Unlike its “cousin,” blueberries are more versatile and are often cultivated by gardeners. It grows both in swampy areas and in stone tundra, taiga and other forest thickets.

The most preferred varieties for home growing are considered such as:

• Taiga beauty;
• Patriot
• Blue Ray
• Insinskaya and others

The planting technique in the form of seedlings is not particularly different, only the holes are dug less deep, 15-20 centimeters are enough. Before deepening, the roots of the seedling are placed in cold water for 20-30 minutes, after which they begin laying in the ground.

Blueberry berries grow well in drained soils with high acidity. Organic fertilizers are rarely used, limited to nutritional, mineral complexes. The technology of growing from seeds does not differ from a similar process with blueberries. For the winter, the planted bushes are best covered and insulated, especially in regions where there is not much snow.

  Differences of berries during the collection, storage and transportation

Between themselves, these two related berries differ not only in appearance and taste, but also in the exactingness of storage and collection. Blueberries go bad much faster. Torn in warm weather, the fruits are stored at low temperatures (+ 2-7 degrees) in cellars or in the refrigerator. The same goes for blueberries, but in vivo it is stored longer and better.

Blueberries and blueberries react differently to improper picking or carrying. Berries are usually picked in the midst of their ripeness, not allowing them to overripe, but also trying not to pick the green fruits. They are transported in special boxes or containers, and preferably in mobile refrigerators to maintain maximum properties and freshness of the crop.

For the winter, both berries are stored frozen or dried. Delicious jams, compotes and other canned preparations are also prepared from them. Freezing is carried out in stages - at first the fruits are washed thoroughly, then dried and only then distributed into plastic containers or bags for storage in the freezer. In this form, it is recommended to keep them no more than 1 season, otherwise the taste and useful properties noticeably worsen.

If we compare purely externally, it seems that blueberries and blueberries are one and the same. The color of the berries, almost the same size and shape of the fruit make it easy to confuse these plants. And if they are so similar in appearance, then most likely they have almost the same composition. So, blueberries and blueberries - what is the difference between them?

Appearance and beneficial properties of blueberries

Black or dark blue berries stand out in dark spots against a background of light green oval foliage. When a small shrub belonging to the Vereskov family with a tree trunk begins to bloom, it is covered with small inflorescences that have a white or single color. The plant grows in coniferous forests of a temperate climate, but you can meet it in swamps or mountainous terrain.

Berries may vary in shape and shades of gray. The pulp has a green color - one of the factors that distinguishes blueberries from blueberries. The flesh is first colored dark red. If the question arises, how to quickly distinguish two berries, the answer is simple - just break the fruit into pieces, look at the inside of the fruit.

The taste of blueberries is very pleasant - sweet, with pronounced sourness. Blueberries differ from blueberries in some watery taste.

Blueberry photo

Blueberries have a low calorie content, which allows it to be classified as a dietary product (). Indeed, 100 grams of healthy berries contains 39 kcal. Nutritional value is as follows:

• protein - exactly one gram;
• carbohydrates - 6.6 g;
• fats - 0.5 g;
• ash - 0.3 g.

The remaining percentage of the volume is 87.7, accounted for by water. This means that blueberries perfectly quench thirst.

The berry has beneficial effects on various body systems. It increases the efficiency of the brain, helps in the prevention of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, improves the digestive tract.

A feature of this fruit is the fact that the use, despite the contained proportion of sugars, absolutely does not harm people who are diagnosed with diabetes. Quite the contrary: eating a certain amount of blueberries can improve metabolism and normalize sugar. It enhances the impact of drugs to combat this disease.

1. Vitamins B, A, K, C.
2. Phosphorus.
3. Iron.
4. Calcium.
5. Acids: apple, citric, and other organic substances of this type.
6. Tannins.
7. Pectin.

The juice of this plant is especially useful - the liquid has the same effects as the berry, but in a slightly higher concentration.

Blueberries: description and benefits

The most important difference is the color of the pulp of the berries. Blueberries are brighter in this respect - a rich dark red hue will immediately attract attention, in contrast to the greenish color of the inside of blueberries.

  Blueberry photo

The difference in taste may actually not seem obvious - all the same sweet berries, in which a slightly sour note is noticeable. Many note: blueberries are different from blueberries - they are more watery.

Blueberries and blueberries - what is the main difference?

If you compare the photos of these plants, you can notice their belonging to one family - outwardly they are really very similar. Not too different and nutritional value of berries.

What is more useful - blueberries or blueberries? It depends on the purpose for which these berries are used, although the difference in properties is relatively small. Blueberries are perfect for people with vision problems: many drugs are made on its basis that are intended for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases.

The difference in utility is far from an exact value. In some areas you can not do without blueberries, but somewhere you should give preference to blueberries. Blueberries are great for preventive purposes: with its help, you can prevent the occurrence of oncology. But her friend has the ability to increase blood coagulation, which is an indispensable quality for those who constantly receive small cuts and abrasions.

Blueberries perfectly remove various harmful trace elements and toxins from the blood. This property is very useful for people living in areas with a high radiation background, as well as working in industries that fall under the classification of harmful ones.

The following differences can also be distinguished:

1. Stems of different heights. If blueberries are shortish - only 40cm at maximum, then blueberries are much higher - about 100cm “tall”.
2. Berries Despite almost the same color (blueberries are black and blue, used as a natural dye, blueberries have a grayish tint), the fruits can be distinguished from each other. First of all, the difference between them in shape - blueberries are almost perfectly round, blueberries are oblong.
3. Juice. Blueberry juice has a red color, while the liquid obtained from blueberries is colorless.

The most important difference - blueberries are an extremely wild plant - it was not possible to cultivate it without loss of healing properties. Therefore, you can often meet people with baskets walking along the berries - blueberries are valued quite highly, especially because of the properties that help restore vision.

Blueberries, unlike their closest friend, managed to cultivate. However, berries grown in captivity lose some properties, which negatively affects the quality of the product.