The bilberry or European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), the most common berry shrub found in Finland’s young coniferous forests, is also prevalent in the forests of Helsinki. The bilberry harvest is largely dependent on the numbers of pollinating insects; without bumblebees, the bilberry harvest remains poor.

In the autumn, bilberry leaves take on a beautiful reddish colour. Once the leaves fall off, the stems remain green throughout the winter.