Russian forests are extremely rich in a variety of mushrooms and berries. But not all of them are as safe as they are beautiful. When going out into nature and walking through the forest, you need to pick berries with caution. Before your walk, you should study information about which berries are poisonous, look at their photos and descriptions.
The most dangerous poisonous berries
Poisonous berries that can be found in Russia can not only cause poisoning, but also lead to much more serious consequences, such as death. To protect yourself and your family from danger, consider the names and descriptions of poisonous berries that you should stay away from.
- Belladonna.
- Red nightshade.
- Swamp whitewing.
- Crow's eye.
- May lily of the valley.
- Forest honeysuckle.
Belladonna
This poisonous berry has many names, the most common of which are mad berry and belladonna. It belongs to the nightshade family. Its main habitat is dark forests, clearings or clearings. Most often found in the Caucasus.
It is a plant with a long purple stem. The flowers are yellow-lilac and bell-shaped. After flowering, single black berries appear. They cannot be eaten.
Belladonna
In case of poisoning, the following symptoms appear: burning in the mouth, difficulty speaking and swallowing. These symptoms begin to appear quite quickly - within 10-15 minutes. When the poison spreads throughout the body, a rapid heartbeat is observed, vision becomes blurred, psycho-emotional agitation appears, as well as hallucinations. If in the body a large number of poison, then skin redness is observed, it becomes difficult to control your actions.
Red nightshade
This poisonous berry grows throughout Russia. It is most often found in damp areas, in forests, near lakes or rivers. The appearance of the plant is a small shrub, its stems curl, and its flowers have purple shade, small scarlet berries.
The plant begins to flower in June and bears fruit until October. The important thing is that the poison is found not only in the poisonous berries, but also in the leaves and stems of the plant.
Red nightshade
The first signs of poisoning are lethargy and clouding of consciousness. Pain appears in the abdominal area, and there may be nausea. The danger of poisoning with these poisonous berries lies in the fact that it has a major effect on the heart, which can result in suffocation. If you are poisoned by berries, first of all, you urgently need to rinse your stomach, and then go to the hospital.
Swamp whitewing
The plant lives in marshy areas. It can be recognized by the following characteristics: it is a solitary plant with a thick stem and large leaves resembling a heart shape; the flowers are white. Poisonous berries have a red tint, but poison is also present in the stem and root system.
Heavy salivation is the first sign of berry poisoning, followed by shortness of breath and convulsions. It has a significant effect on the heart and digestive system. First aid for poisoning is gastric lavage and going to the hospital as soon as possible.
Swamp whitewing
Crow's eye
The plant is located in forests with high humidity. Crow's eye is used in pharmaceuticals to make medicines, however, those uninformed in this area should avoid collecting and consuming this poisonous berry. The plant has the following appearance: a tall thin stem, which ends in four spreading cross-shaped leaves, with a berry in the center. When ripe it is black in color.
Eating the poisonous berry can lead to vomiting, stomach upset and, in some cases, cardiac arrest. If signs of poisoning are noticed, then you should immediately leave the victim to a specialist, otherwise it can be fatal.
Crow's eye
May lily of the valley
So familiar and favorite plant contains a real danger! Today it is actively planted in the garden for decoration. This is a perennial plant with clearly distinguishable characteristic two leaves that cannot be confused with other plants. Between these leaves there is a stem with beautiful flowers.
May lily of the valley
But lily of the valley berries are poisonous. Poisoning causes symptoms of general malaise, nausea, disruption of the digestive system, and also puts a significant strain on the heart.
Attention! Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. After receiving first aid, you should definitely go to the hospital. The faster both first and professional aid is provided, the easier the poisoning will pass and will cause fewer negative consequences and complications.
Forest honeysuckle
A shrub that is very often found in forests. It attracts with its bright red berries, but do not be fooled by its beauty - these are poisonous berries and they are dangerous. Birds readily pick them, but for humans they are unsuitable for consumption, as they can cause poisoning, accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting and general weakness of the body.
Forest honeysuckle
What are the edible wild berries that grow in forests and fields? In this article we will look at the most famous berries.
The berries grow primarily in warm climates and form the family wild plants. Some berries can be eaten raw, but some must be cooked or processed before they can be eaten. The advantage of berries is that they are rich in vitamins and minerals.
If you know of edible wild berries that are not mentioned in the article, please write them in the comments!
Types of edible wild berries
There are many types of wild berries, although not all of them are edible. A more extensive list of types of berries is in this article.
Cherry plum:
Aronia chokeberry, or Chokeberry : This is a highly branched shrub up to 3 meters high. Not a close relative of mountain ash. Its homeland is the Eastern part of North America, from where it spread to Russia. Edible chokeberry was first grown by I.V. Michurin, he brought her out of numerous experiments. Cultivated rowan berries are slightly larger than wild chokeberry berries.
: evergreen shrub 1-5 meters high. There are 450-500 species of barberry in the genus. Distributed everywhere except Australia, in the temperate and subtropical zones. In Europe, for many centuries, the berries were used for culinary purposes as a substitute for citrus peels. After all, barberry berries are rich in vitamin C. Today in Europe they are very rarely used. The country in which they are used most often is Iran. In Iran, the berries are used as a seasoning for poultry meat. You can also make drinks, jams, sweets and marshmallows from the berries.
: Hawthorn is a shrub 1-4 meters high. The plant has about 1,250 species, distributed mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in North America. Divorced as ornamental plant. You can make various drinks, jams, etc. from hawthorn.
: Grows in coniferous and deciduous forests. It looks like bearberry. It is successfully cultivated in various countries. So, for example, about 50-6 kilograms of berries are obtained from one hundred square meters. Lingonberries are used to prepare fillings for sweets, fruit drinks, and jams. Lingonberry leaves are used in medicine.
: Shrub or small tree that reaches a height of 3-10 meters. Grows in coniferous and deciduous forests. It begins to bloom in May-June, and the berries ripen only in August-September. The natural habitat is considered to be the Azores, North Africa, Western and Northern Iran, Turkey, most of Europe, Transcaucasia, in Russia it grows in the south of the European part. Black elderberry is healing plant, unlike red elderberry, which is quite poisonous. You can make jam, jam, and jelly from black elderberry berries. In England, it is used to make a traditional drink. In Switzerland, juice is made from it. It is also used to make a harmless dye and is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens and parks.
: Domestic cherries are derived from wild cherries. The taste of these cherries can be sour, as well as sweet and juicy. They are commonly found throughout Europe. Wild cherry fruits ripen in June. Birds love them very much, hence you can see birds flocking to wild cherries. This can also be used as a sign that the berries are edible. Once you have identified these berries, you will also come back for them year after year. You can also make cherry liqueur from these wild cherries.
: Crowberry is a creeping shrub more than 1 meter long. There is only 1 polymorphic species. Crowberry is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and is also present in South America. Crowberry berries do not taste very pleasant, they are sour, but they quench your thirst well. Eaten fresh. They make jam, marmalade, drinks, jams from the berries and use them as seasonings.
: Blueberry is a shrub, up to 1 meter high. It is found in all regions of the Northern Hemisphere with temperate and cold climates, in the tundra, forest zone, often in swamps and peat bogs. In Eurasia, it is distributed from Iceland and Great Britain to the Russian Far East and Japan (in the south, the species’ range reaches Spain, Italy, the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Turkey, and Mongolia). In North America - from Alaska to Newfoundland and California. Blueberries are very easily confused with blueberries. In blueberries, the stem grows woody almost to the top, unlike blueberries, and they have a number of other differences. Juice, jam, and wine are made from blueberries.
: They can be found from July to September, sometimes until frost. They are vines and can climb stronger plants. Their leaves are unique. They are considered to be very aggressive vines and tend to form thickets.
When ripe, the fruits are black. Unripe berries are tastier than ripe fruits. These berries are used in cooking various dishes, pies and wine stoppers.
: This is the most delicate of all types of berries. Therefore, they must be eaten as soon as they are picked. They look similar to blackberries, with the only difference being that they look looser. These berries can be used to make cocktails.
: Honeysuckle is a shrub up to 1 meter high. Most species of honeysuckle are distributed in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Honeysuckle berries are eaten fresh, but you can also make pies, compotes, juices, jams, wines, preserves and syrups from them. You can read about honeysuckle juice here.
: They grow on hillsides and open lands. They mature when they get the most sunlight. The difference between wild and domestic berries is only in taste. Strawberries have a rich flavor and are also sweeter than their homemade counterpart.
: Irga (cinnamon) is a deciduous shrub or small tree up to 3 meters high. About 25 species of serviceberry are known. Distributed in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere: Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, the Caucasus, North America, Crimea, Japan. Irgu is used dried or fresh in marshmallows, wines, compotes, juices and preserves. Contains vitamin R.
: Viburnum is a shrub or small tree up to 2-3 or 5 meters high. Viburnum is common in Europe, America, Asia and North Africa. In total, about 200 species are known. The bark and fruits of viburnum are used in medicine. Viburnum is used to make jelly, preserves, juices, compotes, fruit drinks, sweets, jellies, bake pies and cook porridge.
: Dogwood this small tree or shrub up to 10 meters high. Dogwood grows in Asia Minor, California, Japan, Central and Southern Europe, Central China and the Caucasus. Dogwood is used in medicine. Industrial oil is made from the seeds of the fruit. Dogwood fruits are eaten fresh. The fruits are used to make jelly, compote, marmalade, preserves, jams and various drinks.
: Cranberry is an evergreen creeping shrub, up to 80 centimeters long. Distributed in the tundra, forest-tundra and forest zones of North America, Asia and Europe. There are 4 types in total. Cranberries are consumed fresh. In the USA and Canada, cranberries have been grown on an industrial scale since 1820. There are over 100 types of cranberry drinks. Cranberries are famous for their therapeutic effect, but it is not recommended to use it, for example, for patients with stomach ulcers. The berries are used to prepare jellies, juices, jams, fruit drinks, syrups, jelly, wines, candy fillings, wines and food colorings.
: Knyazhenika is a herbaceous plant up to 35 centimeters high. The fruits are similar to raspberries or blackberries. It blooms in June, and the fruits ripen in July-August. The fruits have a sweet and sour taste, similar to pineapple. Dishes and seasonings made from princeberry have a strong taste. Grows in northern North America and Eurasia. Princes can be consumed fresh. Knyazhenika is used in medicine. Syrup, juice, jam, jelly, liqueurs, ice cream, marmalade and tea are made from princesses.
: Herbaceous plant common in coniferous and deciduous forests. The distribution area is the central part of the European part of Russia, Siberia and the Caucasus. It blooms in May-June, and the fruits ripen in July-August. The bush reaches a height of no more than 30 centimeters. It is advisable to consume drupes fresh. Vinegar, wine, kvass, fruit drinks, jelly, compote, jam, jelly, juice, syrup are made from the bone fruit and dried. Drupe is a healthy berry; it is rich in vitamins C and P.
: They are native to Western Europe or northern Africa. It grows on rocky slopes and is also grown in gardens. It often runs wild and begins to grow in the forest. These berries are green, red or yellow. They are used in jams, puddings, jellies, preserves, wines and marmalades.
: They grow in the wild as well as in gardens. They have a rich flavor and are usually hidden under the leaves of plants. They tend to bloom in full sun. If you can collect this wild fruit, it can replace other berries in your recipes, and your dish will be much better and tastier. Raspberries are also used as an alternative to cloudberries and blackberries.
: Evergreen conifer tree up to 18 meters high. The trunk can reach a width of up to 30 centimeters. Distributed from the Arctic and throughout the temperate zone, to the mountains of the tropical zone. There are about 70 species. It blooms in April-May, and ripens only in the fall of next year. Juniper fruits are actively used in medicine. A talented chef is able to prepare delicious dishes from juniper.
: Edible berries, fruits from May to July. These berries typically grow in semi-shaded areas. The color of these berries varies from orange to orange-pink. These berries, native to the Americas, signal the start of summer and provide an escape from winter foods.
: Sea buckthorn is a shrub or small tree, up to 6 or 10 meters high. In Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan there are sea buckthorn groves up to 15 meters high. Distributed in Europe and temperate zone Asia. Compotes, jelly, juices, jams, wines, marmalade are made from sea buckthorn berries, and tea is prepared from sea buckthorn leaves and the leaves are put in soups and dishes to improve taste qualities. Sea buckthorn oil is made from the fruit.
: Rowan is a tree 4-15 meters high, sometimes up to 20 meters. In total there are 84 species and a large number of hybrid forms. Rowan is common in America, Europe and Asia, mainly in the northern hemisphere of the temperate zone. Do not confuse rowan with black rowan because they are different plants. Kvass, liqueurs, jelly, wine, vinegar and tea mixtures are made from rowan.
: This is a berry that can be eaten raw as soon as it ripens. They are usually used to make jams, jellies, puddings, and ice cream. Very often, people freeze them for later use.
Turn:
: They got their name because of their color. These berries are colored blue, purple or black. They are found in the wild and are also cultivated. The flowers are bell-shaped. Blueberry bushes typically bear fruit in May. Wild blueberries are native to North America. But the largest reserves of blueberries are in Russia. They are usually consumed in the form of jam.
: Bird cherry trees are short trees. It grows naturally in North Africa, Transcaucasia, Europe and Central and East Asia. Today, bird cherry grows in temperate climates. The berries are eaten fresh. Bird cherry is used to prepare liqueurs, tinctures, pie fillings, and jelly.
: The difference between mulberries and other berries is that they can survive in cold climates, while others can only grow and bloom in warm climates. Mulberries come in different colors, such as black, white and red.
: Rose hip ( wild Rose) is a shrub up to 2 meters high. The record belongs to a shrub growing in Germany in the territory Hildesheim Cathedral, reaching a height of 13 meters. In total, about 400 species are known. Wild rose hips are frost-resistant, drought-resistant and undemanding to the soil. Rosehip is widespread in the temperate and subtropical zones of the Northern Hemisphere: North Africa, North America, Europe and Asia. Also brought to Australia and New Zealand. Rose hips are used as medicinal and food raw materials. Juices, tinctures, seasonings, soups, jams, etc. are made from rose hips. In total, more than 100 dishes are known.
With the arrival of autumn, many people go mushroom picking, but many berries also ripen in the forest. Before you eat them, you need to know for sure whether they are poisonous? If you happen to eat one, you need to know which one and what to do. Let's take a closer look at which berries are dangerous.
Read also:
Crow's eye
Perhaps the most dangerous poisonous berry in our country is raven eye. Its fruits are common and belong to the Melanthyaceae family. There are many types of this berry, but the most common is the four-leaf raven's eye.
This shrub found in almost all forests our country. By appearance, you can easily distinguish a raven's eye. The leaves are arranged whorled, a single leaf, followed by the fruit itself, which is located at the top of the stem.
The entire plant is poisonous, not only the berries, but also the leaves and rhizomes. The berry is similar to a raven's eye, its size is shiny and black. The substance found in the thief's eye can cause convulsions, thereby disrupting the functioning of the heart.
In folk medicine Raven's eye is used as a medicine for certain diseases. But we should not forget that an incorrect ratio can lead to an urgent need for medical help and, in as a last resort, to death.
Wolfberry
In late spring and early autumn, wolfberry grows in the forest. When the fruits ripen, it is difficult to restrain yourself from eating the berries, because they seem tasty due to their size and reddish tint. However, it is worth knowing that not only the berries of this bush are poisonous, but the entire bush. You shouldn't touch him, as serious burns may result. If you try the berry, you may experience serious gastrointestinal problems. Wolfberry is also medicine and is used in medicine.
Forest honeysuckle
This shrub is widespread and attractive for its berries and paired arrangement of flowers. Forest honeysuckle is often used as an ornamental shrub.
In Siberia, forest honeysuckle of blue color, it is edible, but red is dangerous for people, but the fruits do not bring any harm to birds. Thus, the berries received another name, “Edible honeysuckle.”
Lily of the valley berries
Lily of the valley is considered no less dangerous, although it seems completely harmless. It is not only a decoration, but also a medicinal plant, which also used in medicine. Preparations made from lily of the valley can treat the cardiovascular system. Lily of the valley leaves and flowers are mainly used to prepare medicines.
An overdose of such drugs can lead to serious heart problems, so you should not self-medicate.
You can even get poisoned by lily of the valley just out of curiosity, trying red berries, this is especially true for children. After all, lily of the valley can grow not only in the forest, but also in your yard.
It is worth knowing that bouquets of lily of the valley also cannot be placed in a room for a pleasant atmosphere, because the plant emits hazardous substances and into the air, which can ultimately cause harm to health.
For those who live near a forest or have the opportunity to pamper themselves with the fruits that nature gives, it is important to have a good understanding of which berries can be eaten and which cannot. What is grown in the country and in the garden usually refers to shrubs specially planted by people, therefore they are absolutely safe to eat, which cannot be said about wild plants. Adults and children should be guided by what exactly grows in forest areas and which berries are the most dangerous that can be stumbled upon in natural conditions.
Which are the most dangerous in the world?
In order not to be poisoned by berries while outdoors in any corner of the world, it is important to know which of them are edible and which are not. There is a list of the most dangerous representatives that are poisonous to people and animals. For some, all parts of the plant are harmful, but for most it is the fruit, that is, the berries. So, the most dangerous fruits around the world are the following berries.
- Wolf's bast. The shrub can live in mixed forests. Spring provides an opportunity to admire beautiful flowers, growing in inflorescences and somewhat reminiscent of lilacs. It’s not just the berries that are dangerous in this plant. Staying near a bush for a long time can cause severe headaches, dizziness, and people prone to allergies will experience all its symptoms: coughing, runny nose, sneezing. Touching the bark of the plant is also dangerous, which can cause blisters. IN autumn period Red berries with an elongated shape begin to set. The danger of these fruits is that they not only cannot be eaten, but should not be touched at all.
- Nightshade black grows in forests near ponds and in ravines. The danger comes from unripe fruits of the plant. If nightshade is fully ripe, it is recommended to be used as food due to its large amount of vitamin C.
- Kupena fragrant grows in coniferous and mixed forests, feels good on the edges and in the steppe zone. It grows a little more than half a meter, has almost black or red fruits, long and thin leaves and flowers white facing the ground. You cannot touch or eat the fruits; contact with them immediately causes symptoms of poisoning, accompanied by abdominal pain and dizziness.
- Euonymus is a tall plant reaching two meters in height. Often grown as ornamental shrub. The berries are red in color; in appearance they resemble red beads with a black dot, peeking out from pink flowers. The fruits are very popular with birds and are not dangerous for them, but humans should not eat them due to the risk of poisoning.
- Voronets is a low plant (about half a meter) with elongated fruits of different colors: black, red and white. This is very poisonous shrub, because it causes a reaction from contact with any part of it. Touching the foliage can cause inflammation, accompanied by the appearance of blisters.
- Buckthorn– grows mainly near bodies of water. Black berries begin to ripen at the end of summer. When consumed raw, they cause a person to experience severe vomiting. Properly used bark and fruits are good for constipation and gastric lavage.
- Berry yew often found in hedgerows and also in nature. Dangerous berries are those that hide very toxic seeds behind an outer, practically harmless shell. You should not stay near the plant for too long, or touch it, because the wood, pine needles and shoots are also poisonous. Hood yew berry can cause human death. Poisoning causes convulsions and paralysis, after which breathing stops.
- Arum spotted is perennial plant, having a fleshy stem and tuberous roots. The foliage completely falls off by the first days of autumn, leaving stems strewn with red berries with dense skin. If you eat such fruits, a very serious state of intoxication occurs, which without timely intervention leads to death.
- Belladonna looks like beautiful flower with bells soft pink color. Black berries ripen inside the flowers, which are very dangerous for humans.
- Snowberry grows on rocky and calcareous soil, often hiding in partial shade. Outwardly it looks like a bush, generously dotted with large white berries. You can’t eat them, they are poisonous, it’s better to avoid the plant and just admire it.
This is only part of the variety of plants whose berries are extremely dangerous for humans. In order not to stumble upon them, much less try them, it is important to know the description and see a photo of the dangerous fruit. When going into the forest, it is important to arm yourself important information and take a first aid kit in case of an emergency.
Description of harmful fruits in Russia
Each specific plant that has poisonous berries grows in a specific area. Having information about where to be wary of this or that bush, you can protect yourself from unpleasant consequences. The names and colors of the berries will help you avoid danger, and a list of plants in a specific area will help you become familiar with the most dangerous representatives that you need to be wary of.
- Elderberry black and red- a shrub that bears black or red berries. When ripe, they pose virtually no threat and are used for wine, syrups and even jam. Until the moment when the berries are completely ripe, they contain many toxic alkaloids, so it is better not to approach them.
- Belladonna usually grows in forests, but you can also find it in clearings. Most often it can be found in the Caucasus, but the Krasnodar Territory and Crimea are also generously rich in this plant. Outwardly, it does not pose a threat; it has a purple stem and bell-like flowers, which after flowering turn into blue berries. They pose the main threat. If you eat such fruits, then after 10 minutes symptoms will begin to appear in the form of a burning sensation in the mouth and difficulty swallowing. As it spreads further, the poison affects the heart, speeding up its work, causing hallucinations and problems with coordination of movements.
- Whitewing most often found near swamps; the main distribution area is the Leningrad region. Distinctive features of the plant include single growth, the presence of a thick stem and large leaves, and large white flowers. The most dangerous berries are those that have a red tint, but there is poison in both the stems and roots. When severe salivation appears, measures must be taken, because this is the first symptom that a person has been affected by poison, after which convulsions and shortness of breath appear. Plants are especially dangerous for the heart and digestive system. If you are affected by whitefly poison, a gastric lavage procedure and consultation with a doctor will help.
- Nightshade bittersweet has the appearance of a subshrub with a woody trunk and curly vines. It most often grows in the Far East; its habitat is also Western Siberia and surrounding areas. The red berries taste sweet, but have a bitter aftertaste. The ripening period begins in June and ends in October. Not only the berries of this plant are dangerous, but also all other parts; the fruits are inedible both ripe and unripe. The main symptoms that occur with nightshade poisoning are dizziness, abdominal pain, vomiting, problems with motor and psychological activity, difficulty breathing, and heart problems.
The first thing to do after poisoning is to rinse the stomach.
- Crow's eye is a perennial that can be easily distinguished from other plants. The small stem is surrounded by four to five leaves, spread in different directions. Crow's eye blooms small green flower, which then turns into a berry that turns black when ripe. The main habitat is middle lane Russia, the Moscow region and the territory including Europe and the Far East, the Urals, Tundra.
The plant can be collected for medicinal purposes, but this can only be done knowledgeable people, since all parts contain saponins and glycosides that negatively affect the heart. If poisoning by this plant is observed, a person will experience gastrointestinal dysfunction, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased heart rate, disruption of the ventricles, up to cardiac arrest.
- Honeysuckle forest common in wooded areas. A special feature is the red berries, which do not pose a threat to birds, but are completely unsuitable for humans. In case of honeysuckle poisoning, digestive disorders, vomiting and diarrhea may occur, and the person will feel unwell.
Knowledge of the local flora makes it possible to easily navigate the forest and other terrain, collecting only healthy berries and avoiding dangerous ones, maintaining your health and well-being.
How to distinguish inedible ones?
There are a number of poisonous plants that can be confused with edible ones, which will lead to extremely disappointing consequences. This is because they look almost identical, and without knowledge it can be difficult to determine the exact type of green space. Forest plants and shrubs that pose a threat can be located both in the forest itself and in the swamp, which expands the radius of danger. To find out which plants and berries belong to the category of those that cannot be eaten, it is important to understand how to distinguish inedible fruits from edible ones.
Entering the forest, you can see an abundance of bushes and other plants, the berries of which are not only not dangerous, but also bring tangible benefits to humans. Among them are blackberries, blueberries, stoneberries, wild strawberries, blueberries, cloudberries, junipers and many others.
However, there are plants that are very similar to the above and in external features bush, and for fruits, therefore you need to be well prepared before going to the forest to collect the harvest.
To make sure that the fruits are safe, you can pay attention to such a nuance as eating them by birds. If there are pecked berries or bird droppings nearby, then most likely the plant is harmless, although there may be exceptions. If there are no such signs, it is worth continuing observation. Often dangerous berries are disguised as healthy ones. Thus, raven's eye can be easily confused with blueberries or blueberries. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the smell, which in poisonous plants is often unpleasant, pungent, and pungent. You can also confuse belladonna with a simple cherry, since its fruits are also spherical in shape and dark red in color.
While in the forest, you can stumble upon a spicate crow, which is very similar to an ordinary black currant, but hallmark there will be a sharp and not very pleasant smell, which should alert a person. There is also a red-fruited crowberry, which is similar to red currants, but differs in the same characteristic - the presence unpleasant odor. The very dangerous black nightshade can be confused with bird cherry, because the fruits of both plants are on tassels, which can disorient an inexperienced person in the forest.
A distinctive feature will be the arrangement of the fruits, which in bird cherry are elongated on a tassel and arranged sequentially, while in nightshade almost all of them emerge from one stalk and diverge in different directions.
Bittersweet nightshade is very reminiscent of wild red currants, a bit like viburnum and rowan. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the stalks. Nightshade has a star-shaped structure and a small number of berries, which distinguishes it from similar forest plants, which are usually rich in fruit. In addition, you can see purple flowers on the bush, which you will not see either on currants or on rowan and viburnum.
You can find similarities and differences between dangerous and useful crops in almost every case, so it is especially important to go into the forest consciously, understanding the danger that excessive interest and carelessness can pose.
To protect the safety of children going into the forest, it is worth sending with them at least one adult who is well versed in the plantings of a particular area. The main rule that both adults and children must follow is: This means not touching or eating those fruits where there is even the slightest doubt that they are edible and healthy. The presence of poisonous crops in the forest can not only cause significant harm to health, but also lead to death even from touching or inhaling pollen from their flowers.
The ability to avoid danger and understand what is useful and what is not will allow you to travel through forests without much risk and with great pleasure.
Watch the following video about the most poisonous berries in Russia.
Hello, dear reader!
July, and especially August, is the season for a wide variety of wild berries. Strawberries and blueberries, currants, bird cherry, raspberries, and closer to autumn - lingonberries. And others... You just need to remember that there are poisonous berries in our forest! There may not be many of them, but you need to know the poisonous berries. And it is especially important that children know them well!
All kinds of ratings and TOPs are in vogue these days. Well, I will also present a kind of TOP of poisonous berries. The criteria are simple - the poisonousness of the plant and its prevalence and accessibility for those who can, most often accidentally, through ignorance, be poisoned by it. Well, let's get started...
It is a common inhabitant of deciduous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests. It occurs very often. The appearance of the plant is unique; it is almost impossible to confuse it with another. Whorled arrangement of leaves, a single flower, and then a fruit that sits alone at the top of the stem.
The entire plant is poisonous - both leaves and rhizomes. But the berries of the crow's eye are especially poisonous. Large, black, shiny, it really resembles the eye of a crow. And very attractive, especially for children. But the crow's eye berry is deadly! The substance paristifin from the group of saponins causes convulsions and disrupts the functioning of the heart. Which can stop!
In folk medicine, there are a number of recipes using raven's eye to treat certain diseases. However, you need to know:
Due to its extreme danger, the use of raven's eye for any medical purposes forbidden!
Out of curiosity, children can enjoy the “berry”. In case of poisoning, immediate attention is required health care! Children with early age you need to introduce this plant and explain that you should under no circumstances touch it.
Wolf's bast (wolfberry)
About this interesting forest shrub. Wolf's bast is very beautiful in spring, and very attractive in August, when its large red berries ripen. However, the entire plant - leaves, bark, and fruits - is poisonous!
You should not even pick it up to avoid skin burns. Moreover, taste the berries. The result will be severe damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
Wolfberry, or wolf's bast
Wolfberry is a medicinal plant. It is widely used in traditional medicine. And the modern pharmacopoeia is interested in this plant! But this does not mean that nature lovers should necessarily be “interested” in them (only through a camera!). And even more so, children should be warned about the danger of wolf bast!
May lily of the valley
Such a much-loved plant as lily of the valley is also dangerous!
May lily of the valley ( Convallaria majalis) is the only representative of the genus Lily of the Valley of the Liliaceae family (however, here too the issues of taxonomy are quite controversial and are constantly being clarified).
Lily of the valley is widespread in the northern hemisphere, but especially in Europe. True, due to excessive harvesting, the natural habitats of this beautiful plant are constantly shrinking. However, lily of the valley has long been a garden plant.
It is a perennial with a thin creeping rhizome. There are several leaves in the basal rosette, but the lower ones are very small and inconspicuous, similar to scales. But two large, broadly lanceolate leaves with arched veins are hard to miss (and confuse with the leaves of another plant). Between the leaves grows a flowering stem bearing a cluster of graceful fragrant flowers.
Many years ago, the author once came across a small clearing (ten by fifteen meters) in the forest, the grass cover of which consisted of almost nothing but lily of the valley leaves! True, it was already the second half of July, and flowering had long since ended. It’s not for nothing that it’s called the May plant; it blooms in May – early June.
Lily of the valley is not only a wonderful decorative, but also a recognized medicinal plant. Recognized not only by folk, but also by official medicine. Preparations from lily of the valley treat the cardiovascular system. The main active ingredients are glycosides convalatoxin, convallotoxol, convalloside. They are obtained from the leaves and flowers of the plant.
But an overdose of medicine can lead to disruption of the heart! Therefore, you should never self-medicate - it is very dangerous!
You can also get poisoned simply out of curiosity - by trying the beautiful red berries! This again happens especially often with children! But you don’t have to go to the forest to get the fruits of the lily of the valley. And he’s rare there! They are common in our flower beds!
Lily of the valley berries (photo from the Internet)
By the way, it’s also not worth collecting large bouquets of lily of the valley in the spring or placing them in a vase in a room - a large amount of substances released into the air is by no means safe for health.
Voronets spicata. Red-fruited crow
Voronets spica - perennial herbaceous plant from the ranunculaceae family. As you can see in the photo, it has large compound leaves with serrated leaflets on the edges. Grows in shady forests - broad-leaved, mixed, coniferous-small-leaved. In such a secondary spruce-birch-aspen forest with an undergrowth of currants and raspberries. I discovered it with developed grass cover. The habitat of the Spiky Voronets is almost all of Europe, the south of the forest zone of Western Siberia and Altai.
The entire plant is poisonous! After all, its organs contain a whole range of alkaloids and transaconitic acid. Even juice that gets on the skin can cause burning and blisters. Berries are no exception. Adults can also use them out of curiosity or ignorance. But first of all, again, children suffer! But even two or three berries for a child is a significant dose!
True, the plant itself warns of its danger. Its smell is very unpleasant!
Like many poisonous plants, it is used traditional medicine. Official medicine does not recognize it!
Black dye for dyeing wool was obtained from voronets berries.
A close relative of the spiky crow is the red-fruited crow. But if it is an inhabitant of Europe, and is already becoming rare in Siberia, then the red-fruited crow widely populates the forest zone in the Far East, in Eastern and Western Siberia. It is also found in the north of the European part.
Red-fruited Voronets (photo from the Internet)
In appearance it is similar to a relative, differing primarily in the color of the fruits - they are red.
Also a highly poisonous plant! The large number of alkaloids contained in all organs of the plant make it potentially dangerous for the curious berry lover!
Although this little crow “nobly” warns of itself with a smell so characteristic that it received the name “stinker.”
The plant is widely used in traditional medicine. However, remember:
You need to get treatment from specialists! Self-medication is dangerous because it can very easily turn into its exact opposite. And such “treatment” is especially dangerous poisonous plants!
The fruits of the red crow are also used to produce black dye. Hence, by the way, the name. After all, “voronoi” just means “black.”
The entire plant is very poisonous. The atropine group alkaloids it contains can cause very severe poisoning. The result can even be death due to paralysis of the respiratory system and cardiac arrest.
Belladonna (photo from the Internet)
Its habitat is beech and hornbeam forests of Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Crimea, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, North Africa. In the Krasnodar region it is grown on plantations (for medicinal purposes). Although the plant is very poisonous, most residents of Russia are unlikely to encounter it in natural conditions. Although, of course, you need to know it! Therefore, in my ranking of poisonous berries its place is by no means the highest.
By the way, “belladonna” translated from Italian means “ beautiful woman" Yes and Russian name in tune. This is due to the fact that the juice of the plant was dropped into the eyes to dilate the pupils and rubbed on the cheeks to enhance the blush. Beauty truly requires sacrifice!
Bittersweet nightshade is often found in thickets of bushes, along the banks of water bodies, in wastelands in the European part of Russia, Western and Eastern Siberia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Its flowers are similar to those of other nightshades, especially potatoes. The oblong red berries are very reminiscent of small tomatoes.
The plant is a medicinal plant and is very widely used in folk medicine and homeopathy. However, nightshade leaves and berries are poisonous! They should be treated by a specialist!
You should also not eat berries (for the sake of curiosity). The glycoside dulcamarine they contain acts like atropine, causing disorders of the central nervous system, breathing and heart function.
In addition to very poisonous berries, which carry great danger even if accidentally consumed, in our forests there are berries... not that poisonous, but simply inedible. There will be no severe poisoning when consuming them. But trouble is almost certainly guaranteed! In my TOP of poisonous berries, these plants will naturally take last place.
The fruits ripen in August. These are black drupes sitting on cuttings in the axils of the leaves. Buckthorn fruits and bark are medicinal raw materials. They are used in traditional medicine as an emetic and laxative ( official medicine recognizes only the bark).
The fruits are readily eaten by birds. In humans, their use can cause unpleasant consequences, caused precisely by their medical properties - that is, vomiting and diarrhea (diarrhea).
A widespread forest shrub with very attractive-looking red berries, mostly found in pairs (that’s exactly how its flowers sit on the plant - in pairs). Forest honeysuckle is widely used in landscaping as an ornamental shrub.
Birds readily peck at the berries. For humans, they are inedible, and the consequences can be similar to the consequences of eating buckthorn.
In Eastern Siberia and the Far East, forest honeysuckle is replaced in nature by a similar species, but with oblong blue berries covered with a waxy coating. These fruits are edible. And the shrub was named edible honeysuckle. It is widespread in culture and is often planted in gardens and parks. Sometimes it can get wild. Bird-dispersed seeds edible honeysuckle They can also make an “escape into nature”!
In general, you need to remember a simple rule. In nature, you should never “taste” anything you are not familiar with! This applies to plants almost more than anything else. After all, they contain many substances, the presence of which in your body, and even in significant concentrations, may be very undesirable! So you may well get caught with poisonous berries.
You should also not self-medicate. I especially wouldn’t recommend using recipes from the Internet! If you want to turn to traditional medicine, then it’s better to find a grandmother who “knows.”
That's probably all I have for today. I’ve been writing an already short post... for three days. Not like a blogger somehow...
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Category: Tags: ,59 comments to “ Poisonous berries. TOP dangerous berries from our forest”
- Alexander Ivanovich
Hello, Alexander!
I read the article with interest. I know almost all these plants by sight. And I don’t ignore the rule
But I will definitely show my grandchildren these dangerous forest inhabitants. She and her parents often travel to forest areas.
Thanks for the great article!Reply ↓
- blacksmiths
Alexander, I once foolishly ate bearberry in the Kich-Gorodetsky district. I even thought it was delicious. Then I vomited all evening.
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- Alexander
@: Alexander Ivanovich, hello! Glad to see you on my blog! Absolutely right, it definitely needs to be shown.
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- Alexander
@: Alexander, hello! You are, of course, absolutely right. Bearberry is a berry, although not poisonous, but not edible. So she will have a place in my TOP...
Unfortunately, I don't get it for some reason. There is a lot of it in the Ostashevo forests. But you can’t turn there quickly... Bearberry is a very good medicinal plant. Yes, and it’s very interesting with its features. I just don’t really want to write an article with “borrowed” photographs. Maybe I'll meet you in the forest.Reply ↓
- Olga Bogach
A very useful article! Children who grew up in the city do not know what they can and cannot eat in the forest. And in cities there are bushes with pretty berries, which can cause poisoning. My daughter tried some berries from the bush when she was a child, and it’s good that she wasn’t too poisoned and didn’t have to see a doctor.
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- Natabul
I didn’t even know that so many poisonous berries existed. But I know one rule: There is nothing in the forest!
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- Igor
Alexander, thank you very much for the article. As an avid mushroom and berry picker, this article will be very useful to me. In nature, we often saw raven's eye and honeysuckle. In the south there is lily of the valley.
So in our forest there is one poisonous berry that everyone avoids. To be honest, I didn’t find it in your TOP. We call her "wolf's bast"
Here is the image
or here
What kind of berry is this?
One of our friends was very badly poisoned by it. I went into the forest. Well, there’s nothing, he says: no lingonberries, no blueberries...nothing. She take and eat these berries. In general, I was very poisoned. She fell into a coma. But then somehow I got out.
Now I have stopped going to the forest altogether. Honestly, I don’t understand why, it’s so cool there!Reply ↓
- Alexander
@ : Hello Olga! That's right, as children, adults explained such things to us in passing - you can't eat this, this...
As for the various berries in the city, you should not eat anything there. Even obviously edible. After all, plants absorb large amounts from the air. harmful substances. And they even accumulate them. The main purpose of landscaping is to clean the air. And plants are selected that can withstand this polluted air.Reply ↓
- Alexander
@: Well, there aren’t that many poisonous berries in the forest... But they do exist. Why not eat, say, strawberries, blueberries or raspberries in the forest? Cheers to your health! You can’t taste unfamiliar berries!
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- Alexander
@: Hello, Igor! I had to tinker a little with the publication of your comment, and still only one link went through, and that was changed (closed from indexing). The second, even closed, turns out to be a bat. So I deleted it. Although both were opened from the admin panel.
Essentially. Not quite, though, I understand how your friend could have been poisoned by two completely different plants at the same time? In the first photo, there is undoubtedly an arctous - a plant of the heather family, close to the bearberry, common in the tundra. Judging by the information that I found, it is inedible or inedible, but not poisonous. Just like our forest bearberry.
I have not yet been able to accurately identify the plant in the second photo. This photo wanders around the internet from site to site, and it’s the same one, apparently. With captions like “wolf’s bast”, “wolfberry”. But this is not a wolf’s bast (it’s also a wolfberry)! The only thing these plants have in common is the color of the berries! Agree, this is not enough! Thus, we get what in military language is called “disinformation” (that is, disinformation). In the case of poisonous plants - and wolf's bast is highly poisonous! — such misinformation is not safe, unfortunately. That's why I wanted to publish that photo.
Perhaps I will do this when I can still accurately identify the plant.
It is difficult to judge from a photograph what the life form of the plant is - whether it is an herbaceous plant, a shrub such as lingonberry, or a shrub. If you have seen it in nature, please write.
But most of all it looks like some kind of honeysuckle. And by the leaves, by their location. And by the fruits.Reply ↓
- Alexander
By the way, it is possible to fall into a coma after eating berries. Provided that the person is allergic to them. Unfortunately, sometimes he may not even know about it! There are people who have an allergic reaction to raspberries, strawberries, etc. And, alas, it can occur not only in the form of red spots on the skin... It can even be anaphylactic shock, but this is fraught with the most serious consequences. So, Igor, your friend should probably consult an allergist.
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- Svetlana
Why do some people eat nightshade? I know people like that. We have a lot of it. Maybe it can be of several types?
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- Alexander
@ : Hello Svetlana! There is another nightshade - black. Its berries can be eaten; they are also used as a filling for pies. But only ripe, black berries are suitable for food. The unripe leaves and stems of the plant contain the poisonous alkaloid soladinine. Black nightshade has white flowers, not purple like bittersweet.
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- Igor
@ :
I don’t know, but this berry grows everywhere here. That's what people call it. Unfortunately, I am not a biologist, so I can’t argue with you.
Low growing shrub. It grows everywhere in the forest. It grows on the hills 50 meters from my house. Often found together with lingonberries. But it’s easy to distinguish - the berries are soft. Not like a strong lingonberry. If you press on these, they will immediately crush. They will come out with white pulp. The size of a lingonberry. The shape is imperfectly spherical.
What else…
And about the coma...Perhaps you are right - allergies. This was a long time ago, it is difficult to verify this fact.Reply ↓
- Alexander
@: Igor, thanks for the description. I'll try to find something in the literature. But I say that it looks like some kind of honeysuckle. And of our honeysuckles, only one is edible - with blue oblong berries, it is from the Far East, but is very widely spread by humans. The rest are inedible.
And the plants in the photographs are really different... I am writing about the second photo, the link to which I had to delete (it opens from the admin panel, after publication it says “not found”). But this is definitely not a wolf's bast! Eat whole line plants that have a local name " wolfberry"(by the way, so does forest honeysuckle!). And since the country is large, it is still difficult to deal with all the wolfberries. It's not about the name. Just don’t take a berry that you don’t know for sure is edible! There are many completely edible mushrooms that we call toadstools and never collect. And nothing bad happens to us. As they say, it’s better to be on the safe side in this matter...Reply ↓
- Alexander
@: If you mean the first picture (the link from your first comment opens) - this is an arctous. Creeping shrub, widespread throughout the Arctic. Close to bearberry. And apparently, like her, it is inedible. However, I read that Eskimos eat... But it was still not an Eskimo who wrote this. And many plants that we would never eat now were often eaten by our grandparents (and my parents, too), for example, during the hungry war years
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- Igor
Alexander, you can make tree-like comments. I'm probably not the only one who gets confused in the comments. Where is the answer and where is the question, I understand only by meaning. It is very difficult to have a discussion.
Thank you.Reply ↓
- Alexandra Polina
I haven’t seen many of the berries listed - but you need to take note, you never know? In general, we try to stick to the rule with our children - don’t pick or eat anything unfamiliar in the forest - for every edible berry you come across five dangerous ones.
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- Alla
But as a child, we ate nightshade, only black. And alive, thank God. But belladonna... Now I’ll know what it is, otherwise I’ve only heard and read.
In general, I try not to take anything unfamiliar in the forest.Reply ↓
- Alexei
Interesting article! As a child, my father often showed me which berries were poisonous and which were not. Most often in the forests of the Tyumen region, crow's eye is found, less often - wolfberry.
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- Vadar
Wow, there are so many poisonous berries in the forest! Thanks for introducing us to them!
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- Anatoly
When I was a child, my parents took me and my brother to the forest. This is how in practice we have mastered the basic rule - If there is even the slightest doubt, then it is better not to touch the plant. Be it berries, mushrooms, or flowers.
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- Galina
Good night =)
Interesting article, yes. I was planning to open a similar topic for myself, and talk there about the fact that in our forests you shouldn’t put it in your mouth (and in general, once again touch), but I don’t have time yet, and here summer is already running out, now, if I see something dangerous in the forests, then I’ll write =) if, of course, I recognize plants =) after all, I’m still a botanist =)) yes and attentiveness is lame sometimesReply ↓
- Alexei
The information is very instructive and the photographs are a good visual accompaniment. Many have become very disconnected from nature. This is why poisoning occurs, because some poisonous berries look so appetizing.
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- Dmitriy
Familiar berries. From childhood I was taught to pass by.
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- Alexander
As a child, my friend and I ate some wolf berries, 10-15 pieces each, and nothing happened to us.
We thought then that these were wolfberries, but now from the article with pictures I realized that it was “forest honeysuckle”))
We have a lot of crow's eye in the Urals, and nightshade, as far as I remember, was dark in color. Either blue or black. I tried it too))Reply ↓
- Alexander
