{"id":31908,"date":"2023-11-10T17:27:47","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T16:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/65c1b92d-a69e-464d-ae32-886c64fccc12"},"modified":"2023-11-10T17:39:27","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T16:39:27","slug":"britains-most-poisonous-berries-9-toxic-fruits-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/britains-most-poisonous-berries-9-toxic-fruits-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"Britain’s most poisonous berries: 9 toxic fruits to avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"

They may look tasty but looks can be deceiving and these 9 poisonous berries should be avoided at all cost <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Friday, 10 November 2023 at 16:27 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Ripe hedgerow berries look very appealing but several species can cause serious illness if eaten, and a few can even be fatal. So however tempting never try anything you don’t recognise as safe<\/strong>.<\/p>

Here are 9 of the UK’s most dangerous poisonous berries <\/p>

Poisonous berries<\/h2>

Yew<\/h3>
Yew tree berries. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Taxus baccata<\/em>All parts of yew trees<\/a> contain toxic alkaloids, except for the bright red arils. The dark green seeds are especially dangerous, unless you\u2019re a nuthatch.<\/p>

Black bryony<\/h3>
\"\"
Black bryony (Tamus communis) Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Tamus communis<\/em>The only member of the yam family in UK’s native flora, it has shiny heart-shapedleaves and tiny green flowers that swell into scarlet, poisonous berries<\/p>

Deadly nightshade<\/h3>
\"\"
Deadly nightshade berries. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Atropa belladonna<\/em>A member of the potato family. The highly poisonous fruits are similar in colour, size and shape to ripe cherries and are as tempting to the unwary. Deadly nightshade is one of the most poisonous plants in the world<\/a><\/p>

Lords and ladies <\/h3>
\"\"
Arum maculatum berries. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Arum maculatum<\/em>The conspicuous spikes of poisonous fruits ripen in the hedgerow after the leaves have withered. Their juice can also cause painful skin irritation.<\/p>

Ivy<\/h3>
\"\"
English ivy berries. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Hedera helix<\/em>The flowers are the last nectar<\/strong><\/a> source of autumn and are very attractive to pollinators<\/strong><\/a>, resulting in clusters of green fruits that ripen to black in spring<\/p>

Does ivy damage trees?<\/a><\/p>

Spindle<\/h3>
\"\"
Spindle berries. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Euonymus europaeus<\/em>The spindle\u2019s crimson foliage, pink fruits and toxic seeds with bright orange arils makes it highly conspicuous in autumn<\/p>

Holly<\/h3>
\"\"
Holly. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Ilex aquifolium<\/em>Holly<\/a> may be a Christmas favourite that is highly decorative, but the berries are poisonous and can cause nausea and vomiting if eaten. Leave them for the mistle thrush<\/a>.<\/p>

Woody nightshade or bittersweet<\/h3>
\"\"
Branch of Bittersweet nightshade Solanum dulcamara. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Solanum dulcamara<\/em>This scrambles through hedgerows<\/a> and sometimes appears in gardens. Its shiny, egg-shaped fruits ripen through yellow to scarlet and should never be eaten.<\/p>

Butchers broom<\/h3>
\"Butcher's
Butcher’s broom. Image credit: Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Ruscus aculeatus<\/em>An uncommon species of woodland<\/a> edges with prickly leaves bearing tiny greenish, star-shaped purple flowers that develop into toxic scarlet fruits.<\/p>

More poisonous plants facts<\/strong><\/p>