Ipecac?

April 28, 2008 10:03 AM

Are these berries edible?

The bush/tree has bark and is about 10 or 15 feet tall. The berries are blue with purple juice, have no pit and are sweet. Yeah, I tasted them. Will I die?

My photo is an homage to High Times' reader submission pics.

posted by spork to science & nature (7 answers total)

It looks very much like a Mahonia. I've no idea on the edibility though.
posted by Rabulah at 10:07 AM on April 28, 2008

Do you have a local county extension office you can call? That may be your best bet . . .
posted by 6:1 at 10:11 AM on April 28, 2008

It looks very much like Mahonia lomariifolia, which I matched due to leaves and berries, and becuase of Rablah.

PLANTS Profile: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MALO8
University of Connecticut: http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/199900568.html
Horticopia: http://www.horticopia.com/hortpix/html/pc3526.htm
Plantfiles: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/186447/

Apparently the berries, if it is Mahonia Lomariifolia, are good in muesli.
posted by kalessin at 10:48 AM on April 28, 2008

I suspect it's Mahonia lomariifolia, and apparently the seedless fruits of this plant do not have a bitter flavour
posted by stefanie at 10:58 AM on April 28, 2008

Thanks kalessin and Rabulah. This looks exactly like my neighbor's plant.
posted by spork at 11:10 AM on April 28, 2008

You might consider adding the plant's name to the tags for later searching ease. It looks like its common name is Chinese Holly Grape.
posted by sciurus at 12:32 PM on April 28, 2008

Yes, Mahonia/Berberis fruit are edible. High in vitamin C, as well.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:39 PM on April 28, 2008