Help ID these plants

[Bilby]

To me the pictures look like Cape or Chinese Gooseberries - when the lantern goes see-through, the berry should be ripe (orange) and have a sweet-ish smell when squashed. They stew down with apples really well but can be eaten raw or with sugar and cream.

The second one looks exactly like Deadly Nightshade to me. Grows like a potato and it is hard to tell the difference to the uninitiated until the berries come out. If so, dispose of the entire plant, being careful to get the berries as well. Keep well out of the way of any animals too.

 

[2belucile]

Help ID these plants
Jeekinz: How are the "new" plants in your garden? Were you able to identify them?

 

[Jeekinz]

They still look the same. Maybe Sunday I'll check them out again. Don't you worry, you'll be the first to know of any changes. lol

 

[BreezyCooking]

Please, please, PLEASE don't eat either one of these. You're playing with fire.

First of all, although the first plant "resembles" a Tomatillo, it is NOT a tomatillo. And unfortunately there are plants in this family that, while ornamental, are toxic.

The second plant is definitely one of the many members of the Nightshade family & is also toxic.

Either way, again, please don't experiment with wild plants unless you've had them definitively identified - in hand/in person - by a local professional. Not your neighbor or your Aunt Tessie - but perhaps a local extension agent or someone from a college botany department.

Don't ever just take the word of someone on a BB that a wild plant is safe to consume. It simply isn't worth the pain & possible health consequences.

 

[oneoffour]

There are many plants that can have very similar characteristics but one is deadly and another is not. Many plants have been introduced so if you use a toxonomic key of native plants you may still be wrong.

Chinese lantern is a large bush to about 5'. Your photo is low and assuming you are in USA it should be a much larger plant this time of year. There is a native weed that has a similar lantern but it doesn't turn orange.

Pokeweed is a huge bush that is a perennial but dies down to a thick tap root each fall. It has a thick soft pith filled stem with a purplish 'skin' and poisonous berries that stain everything purple. Quiet different from your photo. Matrimony vine is a native weed in the nightshade family but the flowers for it around here are similar to your picture but purple petals not white it is treated as poisonous. That said you know they have white yellow and red tulips.... my guess is you have two weeds neither of which should be used as food. Try Petersons guide to wild flowers. A taxonomic key to weed of North America. Take them to your local co-operative extension service or the ag extension lab for a positive ID.

I'll check my reference books at the office Monday.

 

[BreezyCooking]

The second plant definitely is not Pokeweed. I have dozens & dozens of both Pokeweed & Nightshade-family members on my property. Completely different plants. Either way, both are toxic.

 

[Jeekinz]

Looks like those lantern things but they didn't change color.

 

[QSis]

Jeekins, I can't imagine what else they would be. They look just like these Google Image Result for http://www.blossomswap.com/images/flower-pictures/lanterns.jpg

Lee

 

[2belucile]

I just saw the las photo you posted. The color of the berrry (burgundy) is really different to the plant that I though - Uchuva- that is a beutifull yellow-

 

[BreezyCooking]

Enjoy their interesting appearance, but as I said before, PLEASE DO NOT EAT THEM!! It's not worth the very possible intestinal grief or worse. Trust me.

 

[Jeekinz]

Enjoy their interesting appearance, but as I said before, PLEASE DO NOT EAT THEM!! It's not worth the very possible intestinal grief or worse. Trust me.

Umm...I don't just go snacking on various foliage in my yard.

 

[DawnT]

Jeekinz, the second one is definately nightshade. It is highly poisonous, contact your local cooperative extension to see what you can use to eradicate the plant. The root system travels far and the tiniest piece of stem will root!! BEWARE I speak from experience. :>( Dawn T