I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...albumview=grid

TerryJ

"TerryJ" wrote in message
...
I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...albumview=grid

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

On Sep 26, 4:08*pm, "Roger" wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message

...

I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...ry%20berries/?...

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

thanks for your response. The problem is that it has a single hard
stone , like a plum. i have put another pic on the same place.

"TerryJ" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...albumview=grid

TerryJ

They look like fruits of "Cornus Mas" to me. I have a bush that bore fruit
the first time this year. They were too few for making jam.
You might search in the internet for that, and please form your own opinion,
because I take no responsability on your friend's fate
Greets, Willi

On 2009-09-26 16:35:51 +0100, TerryJ said:

On Sep 26, 4:08*pm, "Roger" wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message

...

I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...ry%20berries/?...

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

thanks for your response. The problem is that it has a single hard
stone , like a plum. i have put another pic on the same place.

Is it is that Prunus cerasifera we had a thread on some time ago - the
cherry plum? I didn't know what it was and it was ID'd for me as that.
I think the thread was Unknown fruit. Someone posted that there was a
particularly good crop of it this year because the cold winter had held
back the blossom. So, when the blossom did arrive it was at the right
time for pollination. Some people - includiing me - were unaware of
ever having seen it before.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On Sep 26, 4:51*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-09-26 16:35:51 +0100, TerryJ said:



On Sep 26, 4:08*pm, "Roger" wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message

....

I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...ry%20berries/?....

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

thanks for your response. The problem is that it has a single hard
stone , like a plum. i have put another pic on the same place.

Is it is that Prunus cerasifera we had a thread on some time ago - the
cherry plum? *I didn't know what it was and it was ID'd for me as that.
*I think the thread was Unknown fruit. *Someone posted that there was a
particularly good crop of it this year because the cold winter had held
back the blossom. *So, when the blossom did arrive it was at the right
time for pollination. *Some people - includiing me - were unaware of
ever having seen it before.
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

thanks , I shall have a look at prunus spp and cornus

thanks , I shall have a look at prunus spp and cornus


http://www.henriettesherbal.com/file...cornus-mas.jpg

on the web people seem to think it is very edible. of course now i
remember the other name: cornelian cherry
opinions vary from 'nice jam better than cherries' to 'complete waste
of time'

well at least it's not Atropa spp

Thanks very much for solving the problem

TerryJ

"TerryJ" wrote in message
...
On Sep 26, 4:08 pm, "Roger" wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message

...

I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...ry%20berries/?...

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

thanks for your response. The problem is that it has a single hard
stone , like a plum. i have put another pic on the same place.

___
It's not a crab apple, I do not recognise it and until I did I wouldn't
make jam from it, let alone eat it!

Tina

On Sep 26, 11:43*pm, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message

...
On Sep 26, 4:08 pm, "Roger" wrote:



"TerryJ" wrote in message

....

I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...ry%20berries/?....

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

thanks for your response. The problem is that it has a single hard
stone , like a plum. i have put another pic on the same place.

___
It's not a crab apple, *I do not recognise it and until I did I wouldn't
make jam from it, let alone eat it!

Tina

I agree. I do not eat things I do not know are ok.
There is an interesting episode in the journal of captain bligh after
te bounty mutiny when he sailed across the pacific in a little boat.
They stopped for a wile on islands of the gt barrier reef where they
found food by each adopting one item for a few days. if after 3 or so
days a man was still ok that meant his food was safe to eat. I have
never felt that desperate myself!

"TerryJ" wrote in message
...
On Sep 26, 11:43 pm, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message

...
On Sep 26, 4:08 pm, "Roger" wrote:



"TerryJ" wrote in message

...

I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...ry%20berries/?...

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

thanks for your response. The problem is that it has a single hard
stone , like a plum. i have put another pic on the same place.

___
It's not a crab apple, I do not recognise it and until I did I wouldn't
make jam from it, let alone eat it!

Tina

I agree. I do not eat things I do not know are ok.
There is an interesting episode in the journal of captain bligh after
te bounty mutiny when he sailed across the pacific in a little boat.
They stopped for a wile on islands of the gt barrier reef where they
found food by each adopting one item for a few days. if after 3 or so
days a man was still ok that meant his food was safe to eat. I have
never felt that desperate myself!

---
You have to remember that once, someone had to be brave enough to try all
the fruit/vegetables we now take for granted. I wouldn't have liked to be
the first person to try an aubergine. At first sight, it looks poisonous.

Tina

Christina Websell wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message
...
On Sep 26, 11:43 pm, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"TerryJ" wrote in message

...
On Sep 26, 4:08 pm, "Roger" wrote:



"TerryJ" wrote in message

...

I wonder if anyone here could please help me to identify this fruit
before my friend, who has made jam out of it, poisens himself.
I think I have persuaded him to wait until we have some idea what it
is.

The bush is more than 15years old , possibly many decades old, in an
old garden near Nottingham.
Pictures are to be found he

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z...ry%20berries/?...

TerryJ

Ornamental crab apple, should be fine to use.

thanks for your response. The problem is that it has a single hard
stone , like a plum. i have put another pic on the same place.

___
It's not a crab apple, I do not recognise it and until I did I wouldn't
make jam from it, let alone eat it!

Tina

I agree. I do not eat things I do not know are ok.
There is an interesting episode in the journal of captain bligh after
te bounty mutiny when he sailed across the pacific in a little boat.
They stopped for a wile on islands of the gt barrier reef where they
found food by each adopting one item for a few days. if after 3 or so
days a man was still ok that meant his food was safe to eat. I have
never felt that desperate myself!

---
You have to remember that once, someone had to be brave enough to try all
the fruit/vegetables we now take for granted. I wouldn't have liked to be
the first person to try an aubergine. At first sight, it looks poisonous.

Tina

Most fruits are safe if only the soft part surrounding the seed(s) is eaten;
that's what the plant designed it for - the seeds were intended to be
swallowed whole and distributed later. Early man would have observed
animals eating fruit and surviving, thus making the usually correct
assumption that the fruit was safe for them to eat.

I feel sorry for the unfortunate observer who watched rabbits eating deadly
nightshade berries...

--
Jeff

TerryJ wrote:
There is an interesting episode in the journal of captain bligh after
te bounty mutiny when he sailed across the pacific in a little boat.
They stopped for a wile on islands of the gt barrier reef where they
found food by each adopting one item for a few days. if after 3 or so
days a man was still ok that meant his food was safe to eat. I have
never felt that desperate myself!

Its a standard "survival" method. You take a small piece of the fruit.
If it feels soapy or oily, or smells odd don't eat it.
The next test is to place it on your skin (arm or somewhere) for an hour
or two. If you develop a rash, discard it.
Next try placing a tiny piece on your lips. If there's any burning or
tingling, discard.
Next place it inside your cheek, and keep it there for a few hours.
Again you're looking for skin reactions, bad taste, or feeling ill.

If it passes all these tests and you haven't had any side-effects, its
probably safe.

Christina Websell wrote:
You have to remember that once, someone had to be brave enough to try all
the fruit/vegetables we now take for granted. I wouldn't have liked to be
the first person to try an aubergine. At first sight, it looks poisonous.

It is.
So, technically, are tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, etc etc....
It all depends /how/ poisonous and whether cooking helps.

Looks like Cornus mas to me too, but I'm not totally sure. The leaves ought to help. Cornus (dogwood) leaves are quite distinctive because of the venation of them. Although you had the good forsight to show us some leaves, they are folded over and not in very good condition, so I wasn't quite sure. But Cornus berries are quite edible. My Cornus mas doesn't usually ripen enough to good edibility. Also the quantity of stone in the berry means you get a rather poor yield. Other Cornus are eaten. Cornus kousa berries are quite different in structure and appearance, and are much tastier. Cornus canadensis are also recommended for eating. Cornus alba are horrible off teh bush, though I think people sometimes cook them and sweeten them.