Fruits that grow in public can be eaten by anyone. However, you should only pick apples, pears and the like that grow at a sufficient distance from exhaust fumes. We show what else you need to consider.
Apples, blueberries or gooseberries: anyone who has health concerns about eating fruit they have picked themselves from public streets or parks can rest easy. City fruit does not have a higher heavy metal load than fruit from the supermarket, the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center gives the all-clear.
However, it is better for herbs and berries if they grow at least ten meters away from city traffic. Basically, you should wash all self-picked fruit thoroughly before eating and check for mold and maggot infestation.
There is also no legal reason against collecting freely accessible fruit on public land. This is stipulated in the Federal Nature Conservation Act. In advance, however, one should ensure that no property rights are actually violated, advise consumer advocates. If in doubt, ask the green space office. The online platform Mundraub also provides orientation.
However: In Germany there are millions of fruit trees that bear delicious fruit – and by no means all of them are privately owned. The interactive mouth robbery map explains where you can find them. Here you will find wild fruit trees, shrubs and herbs that you can help yourself to without any worries.
The card lives from the participation joy of its users. The community in Germany has already entered ten thousand localities. If you zoom in on a location on the map, you can see from a pictogram what kind of plant it is.
The Mundraub card distinguishes between fruit trees, bushes, herbs and nuts. A click on the respective locality opens a short description, often including photos.
