Are these cherries?

[Shaydee]

Hi there, there are several trees near my house that look identical to the cherry trees in my garden, but much much bigger.

It is absolutely covered in fruit that looks like black cherries, but the fruit is quite small compared to store bought cherries, and tastes quite bitter. (I cut one open to check for the stone and licked some of the juice)

I was just wondering if the ripe fruits are edible, or if they are only useful for making poison pie

Here are some pictures on the leaves and the unripe fruit. The trees are very near by so I can take more pictures if necessary

[Guest]

Don't quote me on it as you should never eat something you are not 100% sure about. I think they are wild cherries. The trees were often planted along streets and in parks 20-30 years ago, I have one and it makes fantastic conserve and jelly, but they are for cooking not dessert fruit

Oh one last thing. They may be on the bitter side but it is still a race to beat the birds to them.

[Alison]

Look like wild cherries to me too. I usually make cherry brandy with some in the same way as you would for sloe gin then use it in cakes and puddings for the festive season

[Mr Bones]

Also known as Bird Cherries.

[Guest]

^^^Sorry to be a smart ****. (It is from when I researched my foragers hedge) Wild cherry (prunus avium), bird cherry (prunus padus). Bird cherry can still be used in preserves

[Shaydee]

Thanks!

Thanks to everybody who replied, I'm going to have a go at making some preserve or syrup with them, and see if it kills me :P

I reeeeeeaaaaally want to make some brandy with them. Hopefully I will save up enough for brandy before they are all gone. (Poor student, hence the foraging haha!).

[ESBkevin]

The survivalists method of testing unknown foodstuff is along the lines of putting it under the tongue and leaving it there for ten mins (assuming it's not already bitter/foul in which case spit it out). Then remove it and wait a good few hours, if there is no adverse reaction try and swallow a small amount and again wait a few hours. If there is again no adverse reaction it might be safe to eat.
Might be worth trying just to be safe.

[muddled]

I think...note THINK (not an expert by any means)...that all tree cherries are edible. Purely ornamental cherry trees don't produce fruit...just beautiful double blossoms so I believe that if it fruits you can eat it but you might need to cook it first.

[Guest]

IMO quite a bit of foraged food needs processing in some way bird, wild, cornelian cherry, cherry plum, damson, sloe, rosehips, rowan berries, hawthorn, elderberries. How these things were discovered as edibles is amazing really.