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wild tomato with thorny leaves?

15 years ago

I found a woodland plant with fruit that looks like green cherry tomatoes but with darker green near the stem, like a zigzag or jesters hat. the leaf is long and almost looks like an oak leaf but it has thornlike structures coming out of the center line of the leaf (lengthwise). The plant is about 3 feet high.

I tried to take a pic, but they are so blurry they are worthless.

My daughter is known to pick tomatoes and eat them. I am guessing by the thorns this plant is not edible and I shall have to remove it.

Any guesses?

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Comments (3)

lizardingo
Original Author
15 years ago
I guess I should add that I am in Northern Michigan.
Iris GW
15 years ago
It is most likely another member of the Solanum family - there are some very weedy and prickly ones. Not edible at all! Another member of the family is deadly nightshade.

She should be instructed to not eat anything she finds if you are not there to confirm for her that it is safe to eat. This is not the only plant that has "familiar" fruits but which should in fact not be eaten.
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fatamorgana2121
15 years ago
Sounds like horse nettle Solanum carolinense which is indeedy a member of the nightshade family and is most definitely NOT edible!

You can remove the plant but take the opportunity if your daughter is small, to teach her that all plants are not edible first. In fact, some like horse nettle, are poisonous. Showing a poisonous plant makes the lesson more real and it tends to sink in much deeper. Remember that you can not remove every poisonous plant in the world so the learning of plant safety is important.

FataMorgana

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