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Can someone help identify these?

Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:14 pm
by candle80
With the help of posters here, I was able to identify, pick the berries and make a batch of beautiful and delicious Autumn Olive jam last weekend. Thank you! :flower:
Now, I'm back with two more trees/shrubs that need a name.
The first one lies rather low to the ground and has round, plump, bright red berries that are larger than the Autumn Olive berries. It seems to almost fit the descriptions I've read of rose hips, only the branches do not seem to have thorns, and the berries have two or three tomato seed-sized seeds inside.
The second one, I thought may be an elderberry, but not sure. It appears that all of it's berries have already been ripe and now fallen away and have only left clusters of seeds. If you could help me, it would be greatly appreciated! By the way, I live in the Southwest Virginia area. See pictures below. Thanks in advance.


Image

Image

Re: Can someone help identify these?

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:09 am
by invisiblepiper
The leaves of the lower picture look like our Mountain Ash or Rowan Tree. (Scotland)
I also know that Rowan berries come in different hues - normally bright red. but I have a pink berried one.
If they are rowan, they can be processed with apples to make a slighlty bitter jelly which goes with meat or nut roasts.
Rowan trees also ward off witches from your home and are supposed to be the first thing you plant when you move into a new house without one growing.
Do check before using the berries though, as the photo is quite small on my screen. :thumbright:

Re: Can someone help identify these?

Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:35 pm
by candle80
Thanks for the reply. Someone told me today that the first bush could be a "Thunderberry" which is highly poisonous. Can anyone confirm that? I'll post another picture of it below.
*Edited to add: The person now believes it could be a different bush, perhaps a benzoin (sp?) Any ideas?

Image

Re: Can someone help identify these?

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:00 am
by Ellendra
Is this what the flowers looked like in the spring: Image

If so, that's a honeysuckle bush. Not to be mistaken for the honeysuckle vine. The bush has edible flowers, but the berries are not edible.

Re: Can someone help identify these?

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:05 pm
by candle80
I don't remember the flowers on this particular bush this spring, however we are plentiful in honeysuckles. And after consulting with someone else, it turns out that you are very right! It is a honeysuckle bush indeed! The seeds aren't edible from what I've read. :( I'd never noticed the berries on a honeysuckle, AND I'm used to vines. I had no idea they came in "bushes" as well. Another red berry bush mystery: solved! :cheers: Thanks so much!

I would be interested in learning more about the second picture in my first post. I keep wondering of it could be an elderberry. The clusters of the "used to be" berries have fallen off and dried up and given way to a barren looking cluster of purple-y seeds. If anyone may know, I'd be interested in hearing what you think!

Re: Can someone help identify these?

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:33 am
by Ellendra
Look very closely at the seeds that are left. It does look like an elderberry, so see if those "seeds" are actually dried berries that didn't fall off or get eaten.

Also, look at one of the branches, elderberry has smooth bark, but the wood tends to be hollow or very pithy in the center.

Those are easier to ID in the summer, but the good news is there are very few lookalikes.