Please help me not to poison myself...

[teakdesk]

I licked the inside of one and they don't seem to taste of much really. If we all agree they're not poisonous then I'm going to put them in vodka and we'll see what it turns out like.

Well if they are unripe sloes before frosted they should be very sour. If damsons they should be sweet.

So I'm with VC... dunno, you're on your own!

[BertieFox]

With black berries growing on things in the nightshade (Solanum) family in our hedgerows, I would never advise you to try anything on the basis of some extremely unclear and ambiguous photos. If you really want to know what they are, take a well versed neighbour or country person with you on your walk and get them to identify them properly. If they are sloes or damsons, you cannot eat them out of hand anyway and you don't want to make deadly or black nightshade jam or jelly on the off-chance! A really good book, something like Richard Mabey's 'Food for Free' would help you get a reasonable identification of the plant.

[Moopmoop]

Thanks people, I had assumed it would be much easier to identify them and I was trying to be helpful with the extremely unclear and ambiguous photo's. Best leave them alone.

[veggiechicken]

If you're going to take a photo, take it of the fruit on the tree, with leaves - and with good focus
Watch the tree through the spring, look out for the flowers, and take some photos then. Post them up here and we may be more certain about the identity.
We don't want you to be poisoned, or wasting vodka

[Jeanied]

Those look like prunus to me- either cherry plum, bullace or sloe. If by some chance they are cherry laurel - but the leaves look nothing like - then it you can use the fruit but not the stones.

To make your prunus gin, freeze them first - that sweetens them - then prick to release the juice into the alcohol, add sugar to the fruit to taste and top the jar off with your gin - or even vodka if you prefer.

[Moopmoop]

Thanks all, you've been most helpful but I've decided to give up on the mysterious berries. Since i'm not 100% sure what they are it just isn't worth taking the risk. I'm going to experiment with next years fruit harvest from my garden and see what I can make, at least I'll be sure as to what the fruit is. Anyone made any interesting flavoured vodka? I'm thinking blueberry, cranberry, rhubarb etc.

[Glutton4...]

I'm with Jeanie, I thought they looked like laurel.

Raspberry Voddy is simply the best! Strawberry and Peach are pretty good too!

BiL makes liqueurs out of cheap Voddy and boiled sweets!! Strawberry c@mp!n0s are his faves, and he also likes it with Murr@y m!nts!

[Katie77]

Look like damsons to me too x


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[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Have you washed the fruits? If they had a 'bloom' / dusty appearance before you washed them, they could be sloes - but the tree/bush would have had big straight spikes (1inch long). Hard to spot I guess if you do not know they are there.

Sorry, to add. These do look a bit big for sloes so Damsons would be more likely.

Also, the book BertieFox suggests is invaluable. It saved me from poisoning more than once. You can get a pocket version also.

[Moopmoop]

They did seem to have a bit of a dull bloom to them when picked but when I washed them it came off and they looked a bit suspect. I have thrown them away cos they were not plum shaped, not horrible tasting enough to be sloes and I scared meself looking at poisonous berries on internet. I did think about buying a book along those lines but I think I'll stick to fruit I grow, then hopefully I'll be 100% sure I'm safe to use them.

I've had another look online and I'm leaning towards thinking hey were sloes but I've decided to buy a blackthorn bush and be certain.

[veggiechicken]

Have another look at the bush, armed with the information you've been given here.
Are there any thorns/spikey bits? if so, its probably sloe.
Are they plum shaped, no thorns - probably damsons
Are they round, no thorns, matt, smallish leaves - probably bullace.
Are they round, large glossy leaves - probably cherry laurel.

[Katie77]

If you are a member if the rhs you can send in photos and they will identify things for you. You can also ask them any questions you like (Garden related!) it's such a fab service.


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[Nicos]

I'd go with bullace.
We have loads of them round here.
They come in various shades of black thorough to greenish.
Basically bullace are wild plums and there are various varieties from which the modern plum has been bred
That oval stone to me looks like it is a typical plum family stone.

As Katie suggests....have them professionally ID'd if you are worried...you'd kick yourself if you were turning your back on a wonderful, natural and free source of food!
Maybe, if you have room in your freezer, freeze a few pounds until positively ID'd?.. .(..but well labelled!!)... And then you can make jam etc later on in the year with the confidence from professionals that they are safe to consume!?
Just a thought!

Here's the rhs link by the way...they'll be happy to I'd it for you!

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=641

[Moopmoop]

Thanks to all of the above posts, very helpful. I have considered becoming a member of the rhs in the past but as I don't drive I would find it difficult to get value for money out of the membership and I think £40 is steep for some seeds and plant ID, even though it could stop me from poisoning myself if I relapse and pick from that tree again in the meantime

[Martin H]

I have considered becoming a member of the rhs in the past but as I don't drive I would find it difficult to get value for money out of the membership and I think £40 is steep for some seeds and plant ID, even though it could stop me from poisoning myself if I relapse and pick from that tree again in the meantime

You didn't mention the free monthly magazine, "The Garden". Personally I think the mag is worth the £40 all on its own.