Can anyone identify this?

[Tommy2]

Hi all,

I'm new to foraging and what not, would love to get into bushcraft type stuff (although I've never even been camping!!!!!!)

This tree is down the road from me and they look like pears but they are very small and quite hard, only golf ball size, some one has mentioned quince but I've never heard of those before.
Any way here's a pic

Would be really nice if I could use them as there are loads and it just seems a waste.

Cheers

 

[Shewie]

Looks like quince to me too

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Looks like an ornamental or wild pear.....quinces are larger, a rich yellow in colour & have velvety skins. they also have a delicious smell.
you could use them to make a jelly ( like crab apple) or a pear cidre but I doubt they would be nice to eat straight off the tree.

 

[Tommy2]

I was thinking wild pear cos it at the road side and can't see anyone planting a single pear tree there.

Definately not velvety skin.

Are there any poisonous pears or similar looking things? I would like to try eating one but because I couldn't id it confidently and can't find anything to say there are any poisonous pears.

Cheers

 

[Retired Member southey]

lots of fruit trees from discarded snacks grow on the road side,

 

[Toddy]

Open up one of them and have a look at the way the seeds and the seed case lies.

There are no poisonous apples or pears. Some not very tasty to eat ones right enough, but none that are toxic.

Quince have a definite perfumey scent If you pick a small bowlful and leave them in a room, they'll scent the whole house with a very gentle, pleasant smell

From that photo, they look like some of the little pears, lots of civic planting of little ones or crossed with apple ones. The birds love them and drop the seeds around.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tommy2]

Cool, as long as I won't die from eating it I'll give it a go.

That's the inside of one


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.848260,-1.543783
Cheers
Tom

 

[Toddy]

Pear of some kind.

Probably kind of mealy feeling (rough textured, coarse) might be sweet though. There's a little wild one not far from us that tastes delicious. They don't keep well though.
If you can get loads they make brilliant pear leather or fruit spread like the sunwheel stuff

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tommy2]

Whilst on the I'd subject if you don't mind, am I right in thinking the above is elderberry and the below is Hawthorne and both are edible or brewable?

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.848242,-1.543762
Cheers
Tom

 

[Harvestman]

Correct on all counts.

 

[Tommy2]

Thanks peoples.

I can't wait til I can confidently give advice on here.

Does this look like a Rowan? There are two types ofvery abundant red berry locally one of which I'm pretty sure is poisonous (though I haven't checked what it is) and the other is this

The thing putting me off is the purple stalks, they are green or brown in the books.


Cheers
Tom

 

[blacktimberwolf]

just to reassure you about the colour of the berry stalks

http://photos4.pix.ie/73/D9/73D9F30FAE4B406E974EC7F4BBDA6844-500.jpg

http://www.yourlocalweb.co.uk/images/pictures/23/40/rowan-berries-231111.jpg

 

[treelore]

Aye it is a Rowan tree (sorbus), when you want an ID of a tree do a photo like you have done, but also add one of a leaf and one of the main stem (trunk) this all helps put bits togther to ID a tree. The purple looksing bit do they have a gray sheen ? By looking at the leafs in your book, how they are formed,colour,shape and some times how they smell all add up to to help determin a tree etc.

What book are you using ? I would also recoment the colins tree ident book, you want one that is hand draw and note one with photos.

 

[Toddy]

Good point, and a journal that you can mind what you saw, and *why* and when it caught your eye, is not a bad way to learn and remember too. Especially if you can sketch the bits that did catch your eye, the little defining parts of the leaf, fruit and stems, bark details too if you can
If you keep it up too, it becomes a reminder of the seasonal round and you'll start to look for things coming into season

Beautifully clear photos Blacktimberwolf

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tommy2]

Very much appreciated everyone.

Looking at the bark is something I need to get used to, it's too easy to become obsessed with leaves and fruit.

Books I have are the river cottage hedgerow and food for free, I'll have a look out for the Collins one too.

What I want to do is build up my own photos of things local to me so I can know what it is, where to find it and when.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.956390,-1.531690
Cheers
Tom

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Very much appreciated everyone.

Looking at the bark is something I need to get used to, it's too easy to become obsessed with leaves and fruit.

Books I have are the river cottage hedgerow and food for free, I'll have a look out for the Collins one too.

What I want to do is build up my own photos of things local to me so I can know what it is, where to find it and when.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.956390,-1.531690
Cheers
Tom

Great idea, take your own photos, put them up on this forum if you can't ID them & folks here will tell you more about them than any book can, especially what you can use them for.......

 

[Tommy2]

Well I plucked up the courage and ate one of the pears off that tree, quite crunchy, gritty like a normal pear and sweet enough for me so over all I would be quite happy eating them and never buying a pear from the shop again (unless I end up in hospital tonight, lol)


Cheers
Tom

 

[Barn Owl]

Get them in with some cooking apples for an Eves pudding.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Well I plucked up the courage and ate one of the pears off that tree, quite crunchy, gritty like a normal pear and sweet enough for me so over all I would be quite happy eating them and never buying a pear from the shop again (unless I end up in hospital tonight, lol)


Cheers
Tom

Better get 'em picked soon 'cause once they're frosted they'll be good for nowt.

 

[Tommy2]

Been eating a few, the ones up top are bigger now, also not as hard and a fair bit sweeter than they were.

They're mostly on the floor now and with the rain I'm a bit reluctant to pick them off the floor as I don't know how long they've been there although the skins look ok and not mushy or mouldy.

Gave it a little shake and nearly got clobbered by a few dozen, might put a bin liner down and give it a good shake and collect freshly dropped ones.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=53.848339,-1.543790
Cheers
Tom