I'm gradually working through my forage wishlist. Next up, persimmons! What's on your wishlist?
this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2024
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Not sure if you mean the plant itself but the berries are certainly edible. I’ve eaten many myself. I believe the leaves and other parts can be poisonous but that’s not a problem.
Edit: some online sources are claiming the edibility varies by species. I’ve eaten small quantities many times and moderate amounts (several handfuls) a few times, mostly of Sambucus mexicana, which is a different species than the one pictured which is either S. nigra or canadensis. But I believe those both are edible as well.
S nigra is toxic too. You won't die from eating a few but it's still dangerous, especially to children. It must be cooked to break down the poison. It grows all over in my yard and I have to treat it like poison ivy.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000311.htm
First, this case involves S. mexicana, not S. nigra. Second, the issue was they included the leaves and branches which are known to be toxic. We wouldn’t call cherries poisonous but the wilted leaves can be very dangerous to consume.
The black and blue species of elderberry are widely eaten. I’m unaware of any well-documented cases of poisoning by eating any quantity of ripe berries. The evidence suggests this is a myth. Sam Thayer documents the evidence in one of his books, I’ll maybe post some excerpts if people are curious. He’s a forager who writes very detailed accounts of his own experiences but also does extensive research to unravel a lot of myths about edible wild plants.
And, as I said, I’ve personally eaten reasonable quantities (way more than a few, maybe around 1 cup) raw, ripe berries with no ill effects. If there is any toxic component in the berries, it must be so insignificant as to require a very high dose to cause any noticeable effects.
I love Sam Thayer!