Tag: Cyanide in plants

Indigenous peoples in North America have harvested chokecherries for thousands of years, historically relying on them for nutrition in foods like pemmican. However, the modern forager must approach this wild fruit with caution, as certain parts of the plant contain a form of cyanide.

Native to North America, chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) were a traditional food for many Indigenous tribes. So, can humans eat chokecherries today? The answer is yes, with the critical understanding that only the ripe fruit's flesh is safe, while the rest of the plant is toxic.

According to the USDA, parts of the wild cherry tree, including the leaves, twigs, and seeds, contain cyanogenic glycosides that can be toxic when metabolized. Navigating wild cherry safety is crucial for foragers and home gardeners to understand precisely which parts of the plant are edible and which are hazardous.