Red berry tree- need ID

jessculy

Hi all,

I'm trying to identify a tree in my backyard in Los Angeles. It's over 20ft tall with dark green glossy leaves. The leaf margins are entire. The red berries almost look like Hawthorne berries and have the texture of crab apples (about 0.5in diameter). There are large clusters of them that fall off every autumn. I just need to make sure that they aren't poisonous for my very curious children.

Thanks so much!!

Jessica

second-gen_monkey

pictures are more helpfull than you can possibly imagine.

as a general rule, white/yellow berries are poisonous and reds can be iffy.

i'm not telling you to do this but when i was in outward-bound (camping) they gave us a method to find out if something is poisonous IN AN EMERGENCY. a tiny bit of juice (less than a drop) on your lips NOT IN YOUR MOUTH left for about five minutes. if you don't experience any numbness or burning the same amount on the inside of the lower lip for ten minutes. if it isn't "dry" or burny or anything wierd then you can try eating a SMALL peice and waiting ten to fifteen minutes. if no ill effects then you can try a little more. after a half hour (assuming you've eaten an ammount the size of cherry or so) you will know for certain if it will make you sick but most likely the worst you will end up with is a tummy cramp or a case of the runs.

remember EVEN TASTY BERRIES CAN STILL BE POISION so only use this method if you REALLY, REALLY need to know.

Garry Brockley

Ok this is easy don't eat them unless you know what they are!!!!!you tell your kids they are not to be eaten or they will get sick make them understand that they only eat what you eat.
I had a garden full of poisonous plants in the uk and in Aus i used to go into the garden with my kids and show them the trees and shrubs to stay away from and the ones you could eat, they soon got the message, education beats taking every problem plant out and they remember for a long time too.
if you dont know treat it as a no no.

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jessculy

Thanks for the advice! I tried to post a picture, but it was too large. I'll try again with a new post.

Brent Ferris

What do the seeds inside the fruit look like ? If like apple, prob crabapple; if all hairy, and usually light brown may be hawthorn. Many hawthorns have thorns, BOth fruits are edible - but need to know ID of tree,

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