The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Identification => Topic started by: Pundyburn Lynn on April 23, 2016, 07:07:44 pm

Title: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: Pundyburn Lynn on April 23, 2016, 07:07:44 pm

Hello,We've just moved into a temporary rental house in town, and there are a number of fruits in the very overgrown garden. I've spotted rasps, rhubarb and currants, but there is another fruit bush I can't identify. The fruit has been left on from last season and it's all dried out. I know I could wait and see, but I'm a bit curious!I'd love to think they were blueberries, but could also be deadly nightshade as its prolific round here!Hope the photos upload alright...Lynn

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: clydesdaleclopper on April 24, 2016, 09:38:42 am

NOT blueberries


Can't see well enough to identify but my gut instinct is if the birds have left them all winter then not good.

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: Jukes Mum on April 25, 2016, 02:48:15 pm

I think we have the same. Never thought they were edible, more ornamental I think.
I'll take a pic to see if you think its the same.

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: Jullienne on April 25, 2016, 04:07:26 pm

Why don't you get a specialist to take a sample and test them to see what they are. My guess would be they're poisoness, so don't handle them until a specialist comes, or if you do use gloves

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: farmershort on April 26, 2016, 02:21:15 pm

I seem to remember some piece of plant ID folklore about plants which have the stem coming through the middle of a set of conjoined leaves like that.... I can't quite remember the detail though, which is annoying.... I can't imagine it's good though! I've probably remembers it as it indicated a member of the nightshade family or something nasty like that! Probably not nightshade related of course, but there's something special about that leaf formation.

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: Pundyburn Lynn on April 26, 2016, 04:33:59 pm

Thanks folks, the birds seem to have left last year's rasps too!


Would never have thought they were fruit, but being in amongst other fruit bushes I wasn't sure...

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: Bramblecot on April 26, 2016, 06:41:34 pm

Possibly Hypericum, known as St John's Wort? There are several varieties.  Used in herbal medicine but the berries are poisonous.  Has yellow flowers in summer.

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: Coastie on April 26, 2016, 11:53:00 pm

There is a useful website "the poison garden" that has good photos showing the difference between various berries

Title: Re: Edible or Poisonous?
Post by: ddangus on May 04, 2016, 10:40:08 am

Rose of Sharon (Hypericum calycinum) not edible an ornamental plant related to native St. John's worth. See to be very good in popping up all over the garden.

DD