You should not simply pick apples, pears, or other fruit from trees along the road in Germany: virtually every such tree has an owner, and unauthorized picking can be considered theft. However, there are ways to get fruit completely legally and for free. Ukrainian Liudmyla Rusina spoke about them on TikTok.
Can you pick apples and pears from trees in Germany?
Ukrainian Liudmyla Rusina, who has lived in Germany for more than four years, drew attention to a local rule that may surprise newly arrived foreigners. A tree growing near a road, in a park, or in another accessible place and at first glance seeming to be “ownerless” may in fact belong to an individual, a municipality, or another organization.
For this reason, without the owner’s permission, you should not pick apples, pears, or other fruits from it. This also applies to linden blossoms and other parts of plants that some people are used to collecting freely for their own needs.
“Honestly, I always really want to pick linden blossoms. And no matter how many Germans I asked, they all say it’s better not to,” Rusina said.
Unauthorized appropriation of someone else’s property in Germany may be classified as theft. At the same time, it is important to correctly understand the information about a possible punishment of up to five years in prison. German criminal law does indeed provide for theft a fine or imprisonment of up to five years, but that is the general maximum penalty, not a punishment automatically assigned for a single picked apple.
The specific consequences depend on the circumstances, the value of the items taken, and other factors. Therefore, tourists and migrants are safer if they first check that picking the crop is actually permitted.
German rules as a whole can differ significantly from the norms foreigners are used to. Earlier, the Ukrainian woman cited non-obvious violations in Germany for which one can face liability. These include, for example, a car engine running when not needed and the secret recording of a private conversation.
What does a yellow ribbon on a tree mean in Germany?
At the same time, Germany offers a simple way to find out when fruit may be gathered without the owner’s permission. One of the most visible markers is a yellow ribbon tied around the trunk of a fruit tree.
This mark means that the owner allows other people to pick the ripe fruit for free for personal use. No further authorization is required in this case.
“If you see a yellow ribbon on a fruit tree, it means the owner allows picking fruit from it for personal consumption,” the Ukrainian woman explained.
The yellow ribbon project started back in 2020 in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Its main goal is to reduce food waste: tree owners who cannot or do not want to pick the whole crop themselves permit others to do so.
After the positive reaction of residents, such a practice spread to other regions of Germany. As a result, apples, pears, plums and other ripe fruit do not remain to rot on the trees or under them.
However, even with a yellow ribbon, a few obvious rules should be followed. Harvest the fruit carefully, without breaking branches, damaging the trunk, or harming the tree itself. The fruits are intended primarily for personal use.
There is also a second way to find places where picking is permitted. An online map called Mundraub exists for this purpose, showing available apple trees, pear trees, berry bushes, nuts and other plants. A user can choose their region and see the nearest places.
For Ukrainians who have recently moved to Germany, it is especially important to know these rules in advance. The habitual urge to pick an apple from a tree by the road can lead to at least an unpleasant conflict with its owner. If, however, there is a corresponding mark on the trunk or the plant is marked on a special map as available for collecting, the harvest can be used legally.