Top 20 Wild Edible Fruits and Berries

Want to know the top 20 wild edible fruits?

Most of the wild plant (herb, shrub, and tree) offers fruits in varieties of shape, color, and taste. Among them, some are edible and others are poisonous. In Nepal, it is believed that the fruits of all fodder plants are edible.

In this article, I will share with you the top 20 wild edible fruits.

List of top 20 wild edible fruits and berries:

1. Rhus chinensis

English name: Chinese gall

Nepali name: Bhaki Amilo 

Rai name: Mahada

Family: Anacardiaceae 

Flowering season: August

Fruiting season: October 

Description: Rhus chinensis is the best wild edible fruits. The mature fruits are small and fleshy with acid flavor. It is also rich in tannins. In some places, people use it as a medicine to treat coughs and diarrhea. 

Rhus chinensis is commonly found in Nepal, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and also in India. It can easily propagate from suckers. Bees and birds play a major role in the pollination of this plant. 

2. Amomum subulatum

Scientific name: Amomum subulatum

English name: Black cardamom 

Nepali name: Alainchi

Family: Zingiberaceae 

Description: Amomum subulatum is another top 20 useful wild plants having edible fruit. This plant is also a perennial medicinal plant that offers valuable fruit with a camphor-like taste. It is native to eastern Nepal, China, India, Bhutan, and Africa. 

This plant grows up to 1.5 meters tall and consists of a dull red color creeping rhizome. We can extract the essential oil from its seed. In Nepal, people use the seed of Amomum subulatum to treat sore throat and stomachic. At the same time, they use it as a mouth freshener. 

The seed of Amomum subulatum is also famous as kitchen spices.

3. Artocarpus lakoocha 

English name: Monkey Jack or Monkey Fruit

Nepali name: Badahar

Family: Moraceae

Flowering season: April- June

Fruiting season: July- August

Description: Artocarpus lakoocha is another tasty wild edible fruits that grows in a warm climate. It is a deciduous and perennial tree growing up to 6-17meters tall. This plant prefers fertile, warm, and well-drained soil. 

 In Nepal, people plant Artocarpus lakoocha for multiple purposes i.e. for medicine, fodder, and wood. In some Asian countries, it is also cultivated on a large scale for wood and sweet fruit. We can easily germinate this plant from its seed. 

4. Choerospondias axillaris

English name: Nepali hog plum

Nepali name: Lapsi

Rai name: Fintusi

Family: Anacardiaceae

Fruiting season: Winter

Description: Choerospondias axillaris is another popular wild edible fruits native to Nepal, China, Bhutan, and India. It prefers well-drained, moist, and sandy soil.

This plant is deciduous and also perennial that contains green-yellow small acidic fruits, compound leaves, and brown branches. It grows about 30 meters tall and 40cm wide. 

In Nepal, rural people cultivate Choerospondias axillaris because of its fruit and wood value. They use ripen fruits to make pickles and spicy candy. Titaura is another popular marketable product made in Nepal by using the fruit of Choerospondias axillaris.

5. Cinnamomum camphora

English name: Camphor

Nepali name: Kapur

Family: Lauraceae

Flowering season: April- May                                                 

Fruiting season: August- October

Description: Cinnamomum camphora is a perennial evergreen plant that is commonly found in hilly regions of Nepal and some parts of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Its height reaches up to 30 m high. It offers small white flowers, alternate green leaves, and purple-black edible fruits. 

In some countries, people cultivate Cinnamomum camphora for timber, ornamental, and medicinal purposes. Camphor is a major market product made from it. 

Both unripe and ripe fruits are edible. They contain a strong aroma. Cinnamomum camphora can easily germinate from seed.

6. Coccinia grandis

English name: Ivy gourd or Tindora or Scarlet gourd

Rai Name: Peparang

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Flowering season: August – September

 Description: Coccinia grandis is one of the tasty wild edible fruits which grows in tropical regions of Nepal, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and India. It is a perennial climber that grows about 28 meters long.

A single plant offers large numbers of sweet edible fruits. In some places, people consume unripe fruits as a vegetable. Birds and rats also love to eat the ripe fruits of Coccinia grandis. They also play a big role in the spreading of seeds.

7. Elaeocarpus sphaericus

English name: Utrasum bead tree

Nepali name: Rudraksha

Family: Elaeocarpaceae

Flowering season: May-June

Fruiting season: November- December

Description: Elaeocarpus sphaericus also offers edible fruit. Its height reaches up to 15 meters high. This evergreen plant contains grayish-white bark, alternate leaves, white flowers, and then bluish-purple fruits. It is found in tropical to subtropical regions of Nepal.

We can propagate this plant either by seed or by air layering method. Due to the medicinal and therapeutic properties of its dried fruit (bead), people cultivate it on a commercial scale.

8. Ficus semicordata

English name: Bhui goolar

Nepali name: Khaniyo or Khanyu

Rai name: Khuksik

Family: Moraceae

Flowering season: May- October

Description: Ficus semicordata is a medium-size wild tree that offers a tasty edible fruit. The ripe fruit looks pink to brown. Large numbers of fruits are found in a single tree.

The height of the plant reaches up to 10 meters tall. Mainly this plant is famous for its edible fruits. But in some places, People cultivated it for medicine, fiber, and fodder. Ficus semicordata is a native plant to Nepal, Bhutan, India, Vietnam, and Thailand.

9. Gaultheria fragrantissima

English name: Fragrant Wintergreen

Nepali name: Dhasingare

Family: Ericaceae

Flowering season: April- May

Description: Firstly, Gaultheria fragrantissima is a perennial and evergreen wild plant grows up to 1 meter tall. It is commonly found in temperate to tropical regions of Nepal, India, China, Vietnam, and Bhutan. This plant prefers moist shaded areas.

Gaultheria fragrantissima also offers purplish-blue edible fruits, white flowers, and green leaves having a strong camphor-like scent. In some places, its leaves are used for medicine, food, and to make perfumes.

10. Juglans regia

English name: English walnut, Persian walnut

Nepali name: Okhar

Family: Juglandaceae

Flowering season: May- June

Fruiting season: September – October

Description: Juglans regia is another famous wild deciduous tree native to Asian countries including Nepal and China. It is also famous for its dye yielding and medicinal properties. This plant grows up to 35 meters high.

Similarly, Juglans regia contains substantial tap roots, alternate leaves, and silver-grey bark. It also prefers moist, fertile, and well-drained soil. The fruit of Juglans regia contains nutrition-rich kernel.  Wind plays an important role in the pollination of this plant.

11. Myrica esculenta

English name: Box myrtle or Bayberry

Nepali name: Kaphal

Family: Myricaceae

Flowering season: February to April

Fruiting season: April to May

Description: Myrica esculenta is one of the popular wild edible fruits native to Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan, and India. It offers white flowers, Yellow bark, and tasty red berries. The bark of this plant is used to treat so many diseases including cough, fever, and diarrhea.

The height of the plant reaches up to 8 meters tall. In some places, people use their berries to make drinks, jams, and pickles.

12. Phyllanthus emblica

English name: Indian gooseberry

Nepali name: Amla

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Flowering season: June to August

Fruiting season: September to December

Description: Phyllanthus emblica is another most popular wild edible fruits. It is a deciduous tree having greenish-yellow flowers and fruits. It normally grows to 15 meters high. The mature fruit offers a sour and astringent taste.

The fruit of Indian gooseberry is rich in vitamin C. So, it has a big medicinal value.  It is also a drought-tolerant plant that grows in well-drained and dry soil. The mature fruit can be consumed either raw or cooked form. In some places, it is used to make pickles, jellies, and jams.

13. Rubus ellipticus

English name: Himalayan raspberry

Nepali name: Aiselu

Family: Rosaceae 

Flowering season: February and April 

Description: Rubus ellipticus is another best wild edible fruits native to Nepal, China, and the Philippines. It is a thorny shrub having white flowers, golden yellow sweet fruits, and thorny stems and leaves.  

The young stem of Rubus ellipticus is useful to treat coughs and sore throat. At the same time, birds love to eat their sweet fruit. Wine, Vinegar, juice, and squash are also made from its ripe fruit. 

14. Syzygium cumini

English name: Malabar plum or Java plum

Nepali name: Jamun 

Family: Myrtaceae 

Flowering season: March to April 

Fruiting season: May or June 

Description: Syzygium cumini is also one of the top 20 famous wild edible fruits. It is an evergreen and long-lived plant found in temperate to tropical areas of the world. This plant grows up to 30 meters high. 

In Nepal, people use Syzygium cumini for multiple purposes i.e. for fruit, ornamental, fodder, medicinal, dye, and wood. It offers tasty fruits. Sometimes, ripe fruits are used to make juice, jelly, sauces, and jam. But in some places, this plant is listed as invasive. 

15. Pyracantha coccinea

English name: Scarlet firethorn or pyracantha 

Rai name: Ghangharu 

Family: Rosaceae 

Description: Pyracantha coccinea is a wild plant that grows in hilly to the Himalayan regions of Nepal. It consists of white small flowers, thorny branches, and also red berries having an astringent and bitter taste. The height of this plant reaches up to 3 meters high.  

Pyracantha coccinea also prefers dry, fertile, and well-drained soil. In some places, people plant it for ornamental purposes.

16. Castanopsis tribuloides

English name: Chinkapin 

Nepali name: Katus 

Rai name: Chakag

Family: Fagaceae 

Flowering season: May to June 

Fruiting season: October to November 

Description: Castanopsis tribuloides is one of the famous wild edible fruit native to Nepal, China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. It is an evergreen and perennial wild tree that grows up to 18 meters high. 

Likewise, Castanopsis tribuloides is a fast-growing plant and it prefers shaded places with fertile and well-drained soil. This plant is used for wood, food, and dye. We can consume its seeds either in raw or in cooked form. 

17. Ziziphus nummularia

English name: Wild jujube

Nepali name: Bayar

Family: Rhamnaceae

Flowering season: July to September

Fruiting season: November to December

Description: Ziziphus nummularia is another tasty wild fruit found in tropical areas of Nepal, India, and Pakistan. So, It is a drought-tolerant shrub that grows up to 3 meters high.

The fruits of this plant offer a sweet taste and pleasant aroma. It is also used for fuel, fodder, and medicine.

18. Morus alba           

English name: Mulberry or White mulberry

Nepali name: Kimbu

Rai name: Khetlangbetri

Family: Moraceae

Flowering season: April to May

Fruiting season: May to August

Description: Morus alba is another fast-growing wild tree having a height of 10-20 meters. This plant normally grows in the temperate zone. It offers alternate leaves and also edible berries having sweet flavor. It easily grows from seed.

Silkworms love to eat the leaves of Morus alba. So, most of the silk-producing companies cultivate this plant on large scale. At the same time, this plant is also used for medicine, fodder, and fuel.

19. Ziziphus incurva

English name: Jujube

Nepali name: Haade vayar

Rai name: Sorong

Family: Rhamnaceae

Flowering season: April to May

Fruiting season: June to October

Description: Ziziphus incurva is a thorny evergreen tree, famous because of its sweet fruit. It is easily found at some places of eastern Nepal including Bhojpur and then Kathmandu valley.

This plant grows up to 15 meters tall. Its ripe fruit offers a sweet taste. In Nepal people also use it for timber and fodder. Ziziphus incurve is very resistant to a hot climate. So, it is commonly found in temperate to tropical regions of world.

20. Passiflora edulis:

English name: Passion fruit

Nepali name: Lahare Aamp

Family: Passifloraceae

Flowering season: July to August

Description: Passiflora edulis is another popular wild plant offering sweet edible fruit and a beautiful clock-like flower. It is also an evergreen climber that prefers well-drained, moist, and shaded places.  

The mature fruit looks dark-purple in color. This plant is found in Nepal, Japan, Indonesia, New Zealand, and other places in the world.

I hope this article helped you to find the top 20 wild edible fruits.

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