Tart berries. The homeland of the chokeberry, also called aronia, is North America, and the Native Americans believed in their medicinal qualities, and used it to treat colds. In the early 20th century, chokeberry was brought to Europe, primarily in the Soviet Union, and then to the other countries of Eastern Europe. The pigment anthocyanin is what makes these bitter berries so blue. Chokeberry contains a high amount of vitamin C and potassium. Did you know this berry was named chokeberry because its taste is so tart that it puckers the throat? Truly, and this is the reason why this fruit is not generally consumed raw but in processed form: as juices, jams and liqueurs.