Aronia berries grow in several of our neighborhoods. As a tenant, you’re welcome to pick them—for example, there are bushes at Per-Andersgården usually have plenty of clusters.
Aronia berries aren’t just pretty to look at—they’re also rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Aronia berries are excellent for jam, juice, jelly, marmalade, and wine. They’re rich in pectin, a natural gelling agent that gives jam and marmalade the right consistency. Therefore, they can be used when making jam along with other fruits and berries that have a lower pectin content. The berries are also well-suited for drying and freezing.
So how can you tell an aronia berry apart from other berries?
Aronias are small shrubs with oval leaves that bloom with white or pinkish flowers in May–June. The berries are glossy black, and the leaves turn a deep red in the fall. Of course, it’s important to pick berries from the right shrub —look up pictures online or in a book if you’re unsure! You can also ask our staff for advice.
It's best to pick the berries in the fall, preferably after a night of frost, since that makes them sweeter.
