Tag: Poisonous plant

In August 2024, actress Alicia Silverstone made headlines and sparked concern after biting into an unidentified orange fruit she found on a London street. The plant she tasted was quickly identified by concerned social media users and experts as the mildly poisonous Jerusalem cherry.

Native to North America, the choke cherry (*Prunus virginiana*) was historically used by Indigenous peoples for both food and medicine, but its raw, astringent taste can cause a puckering sensation. This raises the question: what does choke cherry do when properly prepared, and what are its potential risks?