Barberry - Iran

Berberis vulgaris - Native to the lower mountains of Western Asia, the barberry shrub is cultivated world wide. It is a deciduous shrub producing 20 to 30 scattered stems, each being approximately 3 meters in length and dropping at the ends to produce an arch effect. It is a food source to several bird species, especially in the winter when other foods are unavailable. Cattle, goats, and sheep also browse on the shrub. Birds and rodents are the primary agents for dispersing barberry seeds. 

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The Achaemenid Empire, or First Persian Empire, was centered in Iran and was founded by Cyrus the Great. The empire stretched from the Balkans to the Indus Valley and from Kyrgyzstan to Egypt. At the height of the Achaemenid Empire, its population exceeded 50 million people, estimated to being over 40% of the world’s total, the highest share of global population of any empire. The First Persian Empire reigned supreme from 550 to 330 BC, and fell to the invasion of Alexander the Great of Macedonia.

Red Raspberry - Russia

Rubus idaeus - Red raspberries, also known as European raspberries, are perennials grown primarily for their fruit. Raspberries, blackberries, and similar plants are aggregate fruits; each edible berry is made up of several smaller fruits called drupelets. Each berry can contain more than one hundred drupelets. True berries include blueberries, cranberries, and many of the currant plants. Raspberries are grown throughout the temperate zones of the world and are an important food crop.

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The Grand Duchy of Moscow was inherited by Daniel I in 1283. It was a minor state consisting of a mere 22,000 square kilometers. Daniel I began the process of expanding the Russian state through diplomatic and military actions. By the time Ivan IV ascended the throne in 1547, the Duchy had transformed itself into the Tsardom of Russia and was enlarged to more than 4,000,000 square kilometers. In 1721, Peter the Great proclaimed his realm as the Russian Empire.

Gooseberry - Hungary

Ribes grossularia - Gooseberries are native to Europe and Asia. The gooseberry shrub rarely exceeds heights of 2 meters and can be found growing in well drained forest regions. It produces an edible fruit used in making desserts. The fruit is usually green in color, but can vary from white to dark purple. The fruit is sparsely covered with fine hair and has a translucent skin. Gooseberries in the wild tend to be smaller than the cultivated variety and range in size from 8 to 12 millimeters.

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The Franco-Austrian War and the Austro-Prussian War brought Austria to almost total collapse. Austria was forced to seek outside help and suggested a union with Hungary. The Compromise of 1867 resulted in a constitutional union of the two countries, but allowed each country to retain its own judicial system, parliament, and cabinet ministers. The union remained intact until the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War I. Hungary emerged to became the short-lived Hungarian Democratic Republic.

Blackberry - Slovakia

Rubus laciniatus - The blackberry is native to Europe and is often confused with the raspberry. What distinguishes one from the other is whether the stem of the fruit remains on the plant or comes off attached with the picked fruit. With a blackberry, the stem stays attached to the fruit; the raspberry, when plucked off a plant, will have a hollow pit where the stem has detached itself. Blackberries are an essential food source for several animals ranging from small birds to large bears.

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Slovakia had been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of World War I. With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Slovakia was merged with the Czech state to create Czechoslovakia. The Slovak people reluctantly complied with the creation of this artificial nation, but were more inclined in adhering to the principle of self-determination. It was not until 1993 and the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia before Slovakia was allowed to become an independent nation.