Help me id these berries?

[pteron]

I was out picking blackberries and rose hips when i came upon a bush that I don't recognise. Any idea what it is? Are the berries edible?

[P Wren]

Looks like a European cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus) to me. The stems of the fuit appear red but I can't see the leaves that clearly. There's a lot of stuff around the fruit and not sure what's what. I'm still new to plant Identification and I always feel happier to get when I get 'the fount of all knowledge and wisdom' - my Mother (on plants anyway) to ID specimins.

I'll check for you tonight.

Paul

Update: Check this very useful resource posted by Stew 'Website for British Trees and Shrubs ID' on 30-07-2005, 18:47.

http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/trees/guelder.htm

The berries you found do indeed seem to be Viburnum opulus. The entry says that the leaves, bark and berries are all POISONOUS to man, though the berries are edible when cooked.

[ESpy]

Compare & contrast - http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=guelder%20rose

Mind you, the leaves look spikier and heavily chewed

[pteron]

Many thanks for the info, it seems my Gran was right when she warned me to avoid eating red berries in the local Arboreutum!

[P Wren]

Grans are often right you know

My grandparents grew up in and in Blythe in the North East and Tipperary town Ireland, in the 30's and 40's. My grandaparents would often talk about foraging in hedgrows and the countryside, fishing and hunting (well more likely poaching).

Even my mother now in her 60's talks about bicylce trips out into the countryside around the Medway Towns to collect fruit and nuts for cooking.

An I know the best places in the New Forest for Chesnuts Crab apples and the like. It's only in the last ten years or so that my Mum has stopped collecting wild fruits and making jams. I suspect as she prepares to retired she'll get back into it. And will hopefully teach me !

Paul

[pteron]

My Gran was into collecting fruit too, and she knew all about the trees and shrubs around us. She pretty much started me off in my outdoor interests.

I got back into it when I bought the book "Food for free" - probably as a result of reading about it here or one of the other forums. So 2 years ago I made my first Sloe Gin, repeated it last year along with collecting loads of blackberries (did you know Waitrose charge a fortune for blackberries?) and now this year I'm trying Rose Hips as well. In addition, we discovered a walnut tree and pear tree in the local park that nobody appears to be interested in. We collected a few Walnuts and ate a couple of pears - they are incredibly tasty, much better than the ones in the shops. Now I need to find out who owns the Bullace and Greengage trees that over hang the park - nobody collects them and they eventually fall and rot which is a great shame.

I love autumn!