What Are the Red Berries by My House?

Currants

• The red berries by your house very well could be currants. Red currants typically are a dark red and actually become sweeter as they remain on the vine for a long time. "Rovada" is a common red currant cultivar. Hearty red currant plants produce long stems featuring clusters of large red berries. You likely will find red currants along the side of your house in an area with partial shade. Currant plants can grow up to 5 feet tall.

Gooseberries

• Red varieties of the gooseberry include "Hinnonmaki Red" and "Captivator." "Hinnonmaki Red" gooseberry plants feature medium-sized red fruits, while the red fruits on the "Captivator" variety resemble teardrops. The "Captivator" plant varieties also do not feature many thorns. Fruit on the "Achilles" variety of the European cultivar of the gooseberry plant is relatively large. Like red currants, gooseberries grow in areas that offer shade and well-drained soil. Gooseberry plants can get up to 3 feet tall.

Raspberries

• If the red berries by your house feature several drupelets in a cluster, they might be red raspberries, which can reach 5 feet tall. Several varieties of red raspberries exist, including "Boyne," "Nova" and "Latham." "Boyne" varieties are dark red and medium-sized, and the berry plant features short, spiny canes. These red berries ripen early in the growing season. "Nova" berries are bright red, firm and medium-sized, and they typically ripen in the middle of the growing season. "Latham" red berries typically ripen later in the season and tend to have larger red fruits. The "Latham" red raspberry plant has very few thorns as well.

Red Chokeberry

• Red chokeberry plants grow up to 10 feet tall and feature clusters of tiny white blooms. The oval plant's bright red fruit is round and small and begins to ripen in the late summer and early fall. The berry color actually becomes more of a red-purple hue in the fall, and the plant thrives in full sun. These berries are acerbic and thus detestable to birds. As a result, they typically remain on the bush during the winter season.