Hi

I'm new here, and I hope I can ask about the identity of 4 plants I've
found in garden, which might well turn out to be quite handy to keep,
depending what they are. Basically I'm looking for food bearing
species.

pointy red berries, which I suspect are toxic:
http://tinypic.com/r/29g2693/7

red berries with a roughish end, about quarter inch across - they
ripen red
http://tinypic.com/r/i3e2zb/7

tree with winged seed:
http://tinypic.com/r/1j9u1t/7

I suspect these may be some sort of gage, they have the crease on one
side only. I dont yet know what colour they ripen to. The small trees
are covered with them, not in bunches. Theyre about 3/4 - 1" long:
http://tinypic.com/r/4htf7b/7

thank you!


NT

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:44:48 -0700 (PDT), NT
wrote:

Hi

I'm new here, and I hope I can ask about the identity of 4 plants I've
found in garden, which might well turn out to be quite handy to keep,
depending what they are. Basically I'm looking for food bearing
species.

pointy red berries, which I suspect are toxic:
http://tinypic.com/r/29g2693/7

red berries with a roughish end, about quarter inch across - they
ripen red
http://tinypic.com/r/i3e2zb/7

tree with winged seed:
http://tinypic.com/r/1j9u1t/7

I suspect these may be some sort of gage, they have the crease on one
side only. I dont yet know what colour they ripen to. The small trees
are covered with them, not in bunches. Theyre about 3/4 - 1" long:
http://tinypic.com/r/4htf7b/7

thank you!


NT

1. One of the Nightshade (solanum) family, possibly Bittersweet,
solanum dulcamara. Poisonous.

Yes. Bittersweet.

2. Hawthorn (crataegus monogyna), aka May or Quickthorn. Some people
put the leaves in salads.

3. Sycamore (acer pseudoplatanus). Some regard it as a weed tree it
seeds itself around so freely.

4. Probably an unripe sloe, the fruit of the Blackthorn (Prunus
spinosa). Fruit will eventually ripen to a blue-black. Not poisonous,
but extremely bitter. You only ever bite into one; never a second!


--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Chris Hogg wrote:
4. Probably an unripe sloe, the fruit of the Blackthorn (Prunus
spinosa). Fruit will eventually ripen to a blue-black. Not poisonous,
but extremely bitter. You only ever bite into one; never a second!

But goes very nicely with gin (and some sugar, and about a year ... which
reminds me, time to turn the bottles over)

On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:44:48 -0700 (PDT), NT
wrote:

Hi

I'm new here, and I hope I can ask about the identity of 4 plants I've
found in garden, which might well turn out to be quite handy to keep,
depending what they are. Basically I'm looking for food bearing
species.

First things first: don't use sites with sex ads thrown in -- not to
be trusted.

pointy red berries, which I suspect are toxic:
http://tinypic.com/r/29g2693/7

Bittersweet, or Woody Nightshade. Solanum dulcamara. Toxic.

red berries with a roughish end, about quarter inch across - they
ripen red
http://tinypic.com/r/i3e2zb/7

The haws which give hawthorn its name. Not much to eat on them, as the
seed is relatively big, and the flesh is tasteless. I don't think
they're toxic, buit I did once read a suggestion that they were
suspect.

tree with winged seed:
http://tinypic.com/r/1j9u1t/7

One of the maples, I think. I found no evidence of toxicity, but I've
never heard of their seeds being eaten.

I suspect these may be some sort of gage, they have the crease on one
side only. I dont yet know what colour they ripen to. The small trees
are covered with them, not in bunches. Theyre about 3/4 - 1" long:
http://tinypic.com/r/4htf7b/7

Sloes, I suspect -- the fruit of the blackthorn. Good for sloe gin and
a sort of ketchup my mother sometimes made. Even when fully ripe, and
nearly black, very sour and bitter: I always eat a few every year for
the fun of it, but that's just me. May be another wild or naturalized
relative of the plum, though.

--
Mike.

On Jul 26, 10:54*pm, Mike Lyle wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:44:48 -0700 (PDT), NT
wrote:

Hi

I'm new here, and I hope I can ask about the identity of 4 plants I've
found in garden, which might well turn out to be quite handy to keep,
depending what they are. Basically I'm looking for food bearing
species.

First things first: don't use sites with sex ads thrown in -- not to
be trusted.

I didnt realise - can you recommend anywhere better than tinypic?


pointy red berries, which I suspect are toxic:
http://tinypic.com/r/29g2693/7

Bittersweet, or Woody Nightshade. Solanum dulcamara. Toxic.



red berries with a roughish end, about quarter inch across - they
ripen red
http://tinypic.com/r/i3e2zb/7

The haws which give hawthorn its name. Not much to eat on them, as the
seed is relatively big, and the flesh is tasteless. I don't think
they're toxic, buit I did once read a suggestion that they were
suspect.



tree with winged seed:
http://tinypic.com/r/1j9u1t/7

One of the maples, I think. I found no evidence of toxicity, but I've
never heard of their seeds being eaten.



I suspect these may be some sort of gage, they have the crease on one
side only. I dont yet know what colour they ripen to. The small trees
are covered with them, not in bunches. Theyre about 3/4 - 1" long:
http://tinypic.com/r/4htf7b/7

Sloes, I suspect -- the fruit of the blackthorn. Good for sloe gin and
a sort of ketchup my mother sometimes made. Even when fully ripe, and
nearly black, very sour and bitter: I always eat a few every year for
the fun of it, but that's just me. May be another wild or naturalized
relative of the plum, though.

Right, I can taste one when its ripe. The big question I guess is can
I be sure theyre not anything toxic? If so I can just go on taste.

It'll be a shame if theyre not edible. If so, the only edibles will be
elderberry and blackberry, and elder isnt exactly nice to eat.

Thanks everyone.


NT

On 07/26/2011 11:54 PM, Mike Lyle wrote:
tree with winged seed:
http://tinypic.com/r/1j9u1t/7
One of the maples, I think. I found no evidence of toxicity, but I've
never heard of their seeds being eaten.


Yes it does look like a sycamore, although real ID is difficult when
it's wilted. Sycamore is the logical choice, though those are some
pretty anemic samaras (winged fruit).

Actually they can be eaten if you're starving, IIRC you beat them into a
pulp and wash many times to remove the bitterness, then make a paste out
of what's left. Yum!

-E

"NT" wrote in message
...
On Jul 26, 10:54 pm, Mike Lyle wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:44:48 -0700 (PDT), NT
wrote:

Hi

I'm new here, and I hope I can ask about the identity of 4 plants I've
found in garden, which might well turn out to be quite handy to keep,
depending what they are. Basically I'm looking for food bearing
species.

First things first: don't use sites with sex ads thrown in -- not to
be trusted.

I didnt realise - can you recommend anywhere better than tinypic?

.................................................. ....................................


I use myalbum

http://www.myalbum.com/Album=MUKLG34Q

Never had any trouble.

Mike


--

....................................

Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.

....................................


























pointy red berries, which I suspect are toxic:
http://tinypic.com/r/29g2693/7

Bittersweet, or Woody Nightshade. Solanum dulcamara. Toxic.



red berries with a roughish end, about quarter inch across - they
ripen red
http://tinypic.com/r/i3e2zb/7

The haws which give hawthorn its name. Not much to eat on them, as the
seed is relatively big, and the flesh is tasteless. I don't think
they're toxic, buit I did once read a suggestion that they were
suspect.



tree with winged seed:
http://tinypic.com/r/1j9u1t/7

One of the maples, I think. I found no evidence of toxicity, but I've
never heard of their seeds being eaten.



I suspect these may be some sort of gage, they have the crease on one
side only. I dont yet know what colour they ripen to. The small trees
are covered with them, not in bunches. Theyre about 3/4 - 1" long:
http://tinypic.com/r/4htf7b/7

Sloes, I suspect -- the fruit of the blackthorn. Good for sloe gin and
a sort of ketchup my mother sometimes made. Even when fully ripe, and
nearly black, very sour and bitter: I always eat a few every year for
the fun of it, but that's just me. May be another wild or naturalized
relative of the plum, though.

Right, I can taste one when its ripe. The big question I guess is can
I be sure theyre not anything toxic? If so I can just go on taste.

It'll be a shame if theyre not edible. If so, the only edibles will be
elderberry and blackberry, and elder isnt exactly nice to eat.

Thanks everyone.


NT

Mike Lyle wrote:
Sloes, I suspect -- the fruit of the blackthorn.

Oh! There's my thing learnt for today. Never occurred to me that sloes and
blackthorn were the same plant. I know where the sloes appear, and I know
what blackthorn looks like in spring ... but I'd never actually put the 2
together. *smack*

On 26/07/2011 22:50, wrote:
Chris wrote:
4. Probably an unripe sloe, the fruit of the Blackthorn (Prunus
spinosa). Fruit will eventually ripen to a blue-black. Not poisonous,
but extremely bitter. You only ever bite into one; never a second!

But goes very nicely with gin (and some sugar, and about a year ... which
reminds me, time to turn the bottles over)

But wait for the first frost before harvesting and prick the berries. It
goes through a stage of looking like pink paraffin but tastes
wonderfully aromatic when mature. I find it is better with slightly less
sugar than some of the published recipes. And just inverting the bottles
once every couple of months is enough mixing. YMMV

BTW I would pull up the sycamore or if it is already too big for that
douse it in glyphosate.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Martin Brown wrote:
But wait for the first frost before harvesting and prick the berries. It
goes through a stage of looking like pink paraffin but tastes
wonderfully aromatic when mature. I find it is better with slightly less
sugar than some of the published recipes. And just inverting the bottles
once every couple of months is enough mixing. YMMV

My parents think it tastes like cough medicine and it's a waste of good gin.
:-)

On 27/07/2011 09:51, wrote:
Martin wrote:
But wait for the first frost before harvesting and prick the berries. It
goes through a stage of looking like pink paraffin but tastes
wonderfully aromatic when mature. I find it is better with slightly less
sugar than some of the published recipes. And just inverting the bottles
once every couple of months is enough mixing. YMMV

My parents think it tastes like cough medicine and it's a waste of good gin.
:-)

Who said anything about using good gin to make it?
Supermarkets cheapest is fine for this purpose.

We usually make it every other year - mainly determined by whether the
local hedges have been flailed back or not by November time.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Martin Brown wrote:
My parents think it tastes like cough medicine and it's a waste of good gin.
Who said anything about using good gin to make it?
Supermarkets cheapest is fine for this purpose.

Good gin == gin.

Sacha wrote:
First things first: don't use sites with sex ads thrown in -- not to
be trusted.

No sex ads that I saw. Perhaps my browser is set to reject them. I
always thought Tinypic was pretty reliable. Part of Photobucket, I
believe.

I always use Tinypic and haven't had any complaints or seen sex ads,
either! If I've offended anyone inadvertently I apologise now!!

I got a photo of a rather chesty looking lady when I looked at the first
plant photo yesterday. It wasn't blatant, but it probably wasn't something
I wanted on my screen at work.

On 26/07/2011 22:54, Mike Lyle wrote:
(snip)

Sloes, I suspect -- the fruit of the blackthorn. Good for sloe gin and
a sort of ketchup my mother sometimes made. Even when fully ripe, and
nearly black, very sour and bitter:

I would not describe sloes as either sour or bitter. I would say they
are tannic or astringent, and one of the worst fruits of this sort
(along with unripe persimmons) that you would ever wish to avoid
tasting! After trying one, it feels as though someone has tried to dry
your mouth out with a bucketful of silica gel.

--

Jeff

In message ,
writes
Sacha wrote:
First things first: don't use sites with sex ads thrown in -- not to
be trusted.

No sex ads that I saw. Perhaps my browser is set to reject them. I
always thought Tinypic was pretty reliable. Part of Photobucket, I
believe.

I always use Tinypic and haven't had any complaints or seen sex ads,
either! If I've offended anyone inadvertently I apologise now!!

I got a photo of a rather chesty looking lady when I looked at the first
plant photo yesterday. It wasn't blatant, but it probably wasn't something
I wanted on my screen at work.

Was it an ad, or was it another pic hosted on tinypic? They offer you
random pictures from your server ("Images You'll Also Enjoy")
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley