Edible Berries????

[johnbaz]

hi all

we've had this shrub/small tree at the bottom of our garden al of the time that we have lived here (19yrs), it hasn't actually changed in that time apart from the fact that the trunk has a split from top to bottom that has opened and rolled over at the edges whilst healing..
the trunk is now very C- shaped and possibly quiet weak...

i was told that it was a bay Laurel tree but am really unsure.
every year it drops thousands of these cherry like berries that have stones extremely similar to cherries as well....

can anyone say with certainty what the tree is and indeed whether they are edible??

i have a feeling that they're poisonous to humans

??????????????


john

 

[xylaria]

They are cherry laurel [prunus lauroceruasus] and are poisonous as there are.

 

[johnbaz]

They are cherry laurel [prunus lauroceruasus] and are poisonous as there are.

Thanks xylaria

are they poisonous just to us as something had been eating them and leaving the stones all over the place



cheers, john

 

[xylaria]

They have loads of amygdalin, most animals when they eat en get cyanides piosoning off them. Some animals are be able detoxify it better than others.

 

[Toddy]

I thought they were edible but the stone *HAD* to be removed

Thanks for the info, they don't seem to grow around here and I don't think I've ever seen them.

The amyglada prunus ...........normally for lotions and potions I specify Prunus dulcis oil, but recently I keep being offered Prunus amygdala and being told it's just the same stuff. It doesn't smell the same I know that.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Colin.W]

When I worked at the cemetary we had loads of these growing between the sections to break up the expanse of ground and make it like smaller more intimate burial sections, this time of year and on into october we would often find piles of the stones regurgitated, my boss said it was badgers but I never got there early enough to see if he was right or not, badgers would be tucked up in their beds by sunrise I didnt start till 8

 

[johnbaz]

When I worked at the cemetary we had loads of these growing between the sections to break up the expanse of ground and make it like smaller more intimate burial sections, this time of year and on into october we would often find piles of the stones regurgitated, my boss said it was badgers but I never got there early enough to see if he was right or not, badgers would be tucked up in their beds by sunrise I didnt start till 8

Hi

we do have badgers around where i live though i've only ever seen one, it was eating our cats food



john

 

[Cyclingrelf]

I thought they were edible but the stone *HAD* to be removed

I heard a rumour they might be edible, too. But I wouldn't want to risk anything without watching someone else eating them first

 

[Bushwhacker]

I don't trust anything with shiny leaves.