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Name That Plant!Minnesota Gardening Weeds

What is this Berry Weed?

5 years ago

Hi Everyone, I noticed this weed growing everywhere around my house. As I was pulling them up I noticed litte berries everywhere. I am curious if they are useable/edible or poisonous/deadly. Maybe I'll be less likley to pull them out if they are tasty. Thanks!

In MN Zone 4

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Comments (5)

Embothrium
5 years ago
Solanum species, maybe S. nigrum.

Frequently asked about here.
oracleofmn thanked Embothrium
oracleofmn
Original Author
5 years ago
hmm so I probably shouldn't eat them then.
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I'm inspired by everyone's berries. I wish I had more. I have one Viburnum, plicatum I think, that doesn't have a single berry on it. though it is a gorgeous orange for fall. My serviceberry and crabapple are always so decimated by rust that I never have berries on them either. My serviceberry failures is one of my sadder failures in the garden. Does anyone have good luck with a serviceberry? Anyway, here are mine! Holly From berries 10/10/08 11:14 PM Ilex Winter Red From berries 10/10/08 11:14 PM Berberis From berries 10/10/08 11:14 PM Callicarpa dicholora 'Purple Pride' (my favorite and I need more) From berries 10/10/08 11:14 PM Cotoneaster From berries 10/10/08 11:14 PM
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OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Nope, please do not eat them. This part of a quite a group of similar short lived perennial vining Solanums commonly called nightshades, which like potatoes for example has almost all parts poisonous. Some Solanums like the tomato and eggplant have edible or mostly edible fruits but volunteers of the black group are difficult to separate the good from the bad. They can be handled as in pulling them as weeds.

One common edible of this group grown for its fruits is the garden huckleberry, which I have never grown, but if someone around you has, you may have volunteers since they set a lot of seed and escapes are common just like they are for the related Chinese lantern plant.

In regard to the whole nightshade group, if you do not know exactly what you have don't eat it. Toxicity varies dramatically across the fruits, and the green stems and leaves are almost always toxic to some degree.
oracleofmn thanked OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
the birds and vermin are spreading them all around your house ....

thank god you are one of those peeps who actually ask first ... we have a had a few lately .... that ask after.. whats that all about ...

not unlike the poisonous pokeweed ... if you have kids around.. the issue is that the pretty grape colored berries may attract kids ... ergo.. you need to get rid of them ...[may we presume you are a kid at heart .. lol ....as they attracted you ]

ken
oracleofmn thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
5 years ago
I noticed the rough similarity to the highly dangerous pokeweed, too. Generally is it far safer with berries that you do not know to assume they are dangerous to eat, just like one does with mushrooms.
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