As a gardening and landscaping expert, I can confidently say that an apple is not a berry. While it is true that some smaller pomes are sometimes referred to as berries, it is important to understand the specific characteristics that differentiate a pome fruit, like an apple, from a true berry.
The term “berry” is often used loosely to describe any small, edible fruit. However, in botanical terms, a berry is a specific type of fruit that develops from a single ovary and has multiple seeds embedded within the fleshy pericarp. Examples of true berries include grapes, tomatoes, and blueberries.
On the other hand, an apple is a pome fruit, which belongs to the subtribe Pyrinae of the Rosaceae family. Pome fruits have a unique structure where tough tissue called the core separates the seeds from the outer, softer pericarp. This core is formed by the carpels of the flower and is not found in true berries.
I have personally observed this distinct structure while growing and harvesting apples in my own garden. As you bite into an apple, you can feel the crispness of the flesh surrounding the core, which contains the seeds. This separation of the seeds from the edible part of the fruit is a key characteristic of pome fruits and sets them apart from true berries.
It is worth noting that while apples and pears are the most common examples of pome fruits, there are other fruits in the Pyrinae subtribe, such as quinces and medlars, which also exhibit the same core structure.
While some smaller pomes may be colloquially referred to as berries, it is important to understand the botanical classification of fruits. An apple, being a pome fruit, is not a true berry due to the presence of the core that separates the seeds from the edible flesh.
