A poisonous elderberry lookalike?

[@FeralForaging]

Does Elderberry have lookalikes? I guess it depends on your ID skills. I cannot think of any wild fruit plant that has single compound leaves that are oppositely arranged and look anything like elderberries. Don’t know how to recognize a compound leaf or overall leaf arrangement? It would be best to learn that before foraging for elderberry then. And, you’re in luck, because I have a FREE identification basics class that you can watch right now to learn those things. feralforaging.com/tree-id-basics-recording Remember, some people experience major nausea from consuming raw elder, so I do not recommend it.

[@francescofalconi6137]

I went foraging for fennel and blackberries in the park near my house and thought about foraging elderberries too since I saw them a couple times but didn’t know them until I watched a short you made recently. I checked for compound, oppositely arranged leaves and even looked at the bark. Everything checked but the leaflets looked slightly off so I did a research on the fly and found out it was danewort, which is toxic. Maybe you can do a short comparing the two since they look very similar to each other

[@joan-mariacbrooks]

Pokeweed grows all over Brooklyn; I grabbed a bunch of them that was on a bush on Pennsylvania Avenue until McD's cut it down. Thanks for the education.

[@wardaddy6002]

Red sumac looks alot like elderberry and can cause an allergic reaction for some. But the berries make a tasty magenta tea that tastes like lemonade. The difference is sumac berries are clumped together and have a waxy coating. Also they're a deep magenta color. While elderberries are deep purple with no wax coating and aren't stuck together.

[@_Ben___]

Didn't know that elderberry can cause problems raw, I've eaten it many times that way and have been fine. Just rinse them, however if the birds have been at them, a good wash and cook is a good idea. Don't eat the ones with the "white sauce" lol.

[@katrinahaney2694]

Some may confuse elderberry and water hemlock. They look similar enough to someone unfamiliar.

[@dawnmana5876]

Pokeberry makes a beautiful dye plus the greens are tasty if you know how to harvest and cook them properly so you dont poison yourself.

[@totallynotdelinquent5933]

It also dyes your fingers really bad lol

[@basilsflowercrown9310]

How to tell pokeweed from elderberries: have eyes

[@DaniellyBean]

And know both exist

[@lifeisbutadreamm]

You've given me a lot more confidence to go out into the world and forage successfully, I always thought you had to be some kind of expert to tell plants apart, so thanks for proving that's not necessarily the case and it's actually not as hard or complicated to forage as it sometimes seems

[@FeralForaging]

Very welcome! Yes, I get comments like that all the time "Don't do this unless you're an 'expert'". It doesn't take an expert to tell these completely different plants apart! 😅

[@Joy-nf8tq]

Looking forward to your video on pokewood uses and how to's. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!!!! 😁

[@sandraking9650]

You can eat poke!!! Wonderful

[@tanakeilidh384]

You are the Best! Plant ID classes were always my favorite. Thank you thank you!

[@FeralForaging]

You're so welcome!

[@dancingnature]

Poke salad has a gorgeous red violet stem ! I use it for bouquets

[@FeralForaging]

It is quite striking!

[@hudzGee]

Poke Salad bouquet? Sounds delicious and visually stunning at the same time 😋

[@katrinahaney2694]

It's poke sallet not salad. It's delicious also.

[@v4lunai]

Thanks for the information! Just realized I had pokeweed in my backyard 😅

[@sandraking9650]

Good it's nutritional

[@MKheadley2]

Same

[@themagnanimous1246]

Slightly off topic but my GF's family is from West Virginia and her grandmother grew up drinking pitchers of water that had a few pokeberries in it. It allegedly helped with digestion after dinner

[@sandraking9650]

For arthritis & making jelly

[@catalinamargomyers9970]

It will make you go for sure. The greens are very tasty while plant is young.

[@Super_Nova739]

People mistake plants when they use one characteristic, or they gloss over the overall appearance of something without getting into the details. Like elder and poke berries, people see a dark purplish black looking berry and just assume they look the same. But when you look at everything else in detail as well as as a whole you can tell that they are nothing alike. Someone tried to say cherries were poke because of the fruit clusters even though the cherry was cleaely a tree and poke is not. What gets me is when people suggest something as an ID without even looking it up themselves first to compare and confirm.

[@FeralForaging]

Completely agree

[@jonvansiclen9652]

Finally, someone who’s well, educated in terms of plant identification, and the uses of the plant material

[@geoffkeller5337]

Hopefully you show how to eat the poke berries properly. They are great for arthritis relief

[@THE_BARNABY-GUY]

If im gonna explore the jungle i wanna bring this guy up💀

[@vaguelyAsh]

You inspired me to start foraging in South Africa 😊

[@lorijackson1262]

I know poke weed, gives me a sever rash with the lightest touch

[@Jay123hollis]

Here in the South some people make salad out of it. You have to cook it twice.

[@wardaddy6002]

Double boil in two changes of water otherwise you're going to have a you tube survivalist twice baking it lol.

[@katrinahaney2694]

*Sallet

[@asdfjklasdfjkl1988]

Pokeweed also can be used as a salad. Blanched leaves as greens and stalks like a celery-asparagus. Deer love it. Good for pollinators.

[@sandraking9650]

Humans love it too

[@alisonmckenzie2236]

I fucking love pokeweed i used to use it to paint the sodewalk when i was younger

[@seraphitssingh973]

I was wondering what that plant coming up in my yard was. Now I know it's pokeweed. Thank you

[@FeralForaging]

Glad I could help!

[@NCBotany]

The leaf shape is so different and the purple is a great warning sign. I think the Cherokees used to make war paint or other pigment with it

[@wrennie1532]

I have a lot of pokeweed in my yard. They love my trampoline

[@sandraking9650]

Fortunate

[@GeorgeCoggins]

ive been eating upwards of 3-7 pokeberries a day doing a lymphatic flush with no ill effects but i have a high tolerance to toxins in general. but you wouldnt want to use it in the amounts you would use regarding elderberry

[@sandraking9650]

Good for arthritis & jelly

[@ThatOneGuyFromSchool]

You can cook the leaves 🤔 You have to get it before it produces berries(so I've been told), and you have to boil it a few times before you use it 🤷‍♂️ I've had it, it was like spinach or collard greens Dad would make it when i was younger. Called it "pokesalad"

[@Scrubthulhu]

Pretty sure there's some pokeberry growing in my backyard

[@FeralForaging]

It's very common!

[@Scrubthulhu]

@@FeralForaging I would not have known what it was without this video, so thank you!

[@FeralForaging]

@@Scrubthulhu very welcome!

[@chrimsonevans2016]

We used to “paint” with poke berries but were told not to eat them because they were poisonous. Totally okay to play with though 😂

[@sandraking9650]

Good for arthritis & jelly 😋

[@farkleberry867]

It is important to mention that elderberries must be cooked!

[@lusciouslunk]

Good thing he did!

[@gosteampunkdotcom]

He said not to eat the elderberries raw at the end.

[@dd4850]

I played with those as a child. I used to squishy the berries in my hands and cover my palms in the pink dye😂 kinda crazy I was never seriously affected (that I know of)

[@gosteampunkdotcom]

It's not toxic topically and is used for dyes.

[@smellycat249]

I eat a few poke berries a day when they are around. Besides all my nails and teeth falling out, I feel fine.

[@FeralForaging]

😂

[@sandraking9650]

Great for arthritis & jelly

[@triplehearts914]

OH this is what its called??? These (pokeweed) used to grow all over my backyard! my sisters and i would always get into them and i even once said "this would make a nice dye"

[@ChaosAscalon]

o had massive pokeweed trees in my backyard growing up i used to take a busted golfclub and use it as a sword and would run around slay the demon trees lol

[@alexusdavis4314]

I have a pokeweed growing out of my wild grape plant and thought they were grapes

[@germariadillard4182]

I live in Louisiana my great grandmother makes poke salad..It’s so good😋

[@mrzoukdotcomzouklambadaboo8212]

There's nothing wrong with eating elderberry raw, used to eat it raw in London all the time... Never had any problems.

[@Cherrybomb510]

I wondered about that too. I ate raw elderberries often as a kid, nothing happened to me. 🤔

[@lovelydeath04]

I have pokeweed in my yard. I use it for paint and dyes.

[@kellywalker1664]

The two plants are so distinct, I'm not sure how the confusion could come up. Poke is a beautiful plant with very attractive fruit, and seeing the songbirds partake could send the wrong message to the uninformed, however. Oh, and raw elderberry tastes like 🤢.

[@LotusFlower420]

Ive had both growing in my backyard

[@raymiller4808]

Add you can eat pokeweed leaves like collard greens :) you have to boil and drain change the water 3 times it tastes good ;)

[@fackeyutub-emael6545]

I never understood the confusion, but I am familiar with them both. A full grown male can eat 6 of these before or heavy confusion and hallucinations.

[@dattonex]

Pokeweed salad is a whole thing in NC..grew up eating it

[@stevengosnell7034]

We called those indian paint berries growing up, or just paint berries. Even my indigenous family calls them by that common name and taught me how to make paint and dye with them. Love seeing this!

[@johnwyman6126]

How do you make paint and dye with it?

[@scotty3739]

pokeberry is good for ink as well. its referred to as inkberry in my region because of that. it's not invasive, but it is quite a pest plant.

[@tammylines2779]

we used to call the pokeberrys ink berry’s to if you smash them on a rock the color was bright pinkish red

[@johnmerrickmayor3861]

ahh those plant is that oki used to play with those

[@cypherborg81]

Sweet cherry are abundant there in Quebec. And they are delicious but sometime you can mistaken it with other one.

[@girlysuperville5060]

Thank you great information

[@ladycavalier]

Literally me realizing I have an elderberry bush in my yard and planning for when I will one day go above handfuls of delicious raw berries in my mouth 😢

[@jumpingsloth3963]

I believe elderberry comes from a tree. Pokeweed legit looks like a giant overgrown weed.

[@ElamiteFreeMan]

In Iran We Call This Plant "Sorkhab Koli" Which Means"Gypsy lip stick"

[@tinaharvey356]

.y grand mother used to make poke salid it was so good

[@kimberly1273]

Love me some polk salad (sallet) with eggs! ❤

[@beefmeatloaf]

We have an elderberry in our garden the birds love it we may try it any recipes you recommend?

[@sandraking9650]

Jelly!!!

[@persephoneszeliga]

We have both in my yard

[@yayamendoza23]

Thank you🙌

[@FeralForaging]

You're welcome 😊

[@A.AInc.]

Gotta catch em all

[@arielshuffield4188]

Besides the berries there is also pokesalad right. But that also has to be cooked to be safe because toxins.

[@wardaddy6002]

Boiled in two changes of water. When I was a kid growing up in the Cherokee nation most full bloods could eat it straight off the plant. But they have developed a tolerance to the toxins from life long exposure.

[@peliqueirolaza09]

I ate pokeweeds as a child

[@ashleystewart7894]

If not raw then how do you eat elderberries? Also I poke weed poisonous? But you can use it for arthritis? I’m confused

[@VilkasG]

day 1 of asking you to make a video about foxtail millet/bristly foxtail

[@frankiecicero8742]

Pokeweed takes over my yard every year

[@sandraking9650]

Wonderful, read comments 👏

[@stupidvampir]

I have a ton of poke berries where I live and I made the mistake of eating one 😭

[@johnwyman6126]

What happened? Did you die?

[@pocketsand506]

But raw elderberries are also known to be toxic. Both plants are edible if the person is well informed on how to do so.

[@gosteampunkdotcom]

He says at the end not to eat the elderberries raw.

[@scottvergin4732]

We call that Popeweed

[@jayoo3385]

Koreans eat young pokeweed greens. Boil it, then soak it in cold water, rinse, squeeze water out gently, then massage in sesame oil, salt, garlic, soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Eat as side dish with rice.

[@101anima]

Not gonna lie, I would have mistaken them

[@Cjxtreme66]

Bruh did all that just to tell me not to eat it anyways

[@humphreyjones1828]

Oh good I didn’t wanna eat elderberry on accident

[@zacharymabb4873]

Elderberry is in minidayz.

[@Arktitanomyrnma]

Eh ? I don't even know that's were pokeweed and we're just playing with it stepping on and acting like being shot 😂

[@alohallo2879]

To consume Elder berries?

[@monicaglenn3158]

Pokeweed gross like a weed in our yard. We can't keep it away.

[@davidhardison3050]

Would that be because they are poisonous they had to be prepared properly before eating.

[@Carsergeant]

Not too mention the smell

[@gracieshaw3311]

Can you eat pokeweed raw?

[@FeralForaging]

No

[@dancingnature]

No , I wouldn’t eat the Poke berries . They’ve been used to dye cloth

[@gracieshaw3311]

Oh thank you! I want sure because it was never specified. ❤️

[@johntrevy1]

So it is not Pokemon food then?

[@sandraking9650]

Yes I eat lots & put away for winter, berries for jelly 😋

[@opybrook7766]

When you say something like do not eat elderberries raw you absolutely MUST SAY WHY!

[@mariabodega7661]

I agree! I've heard you can eat it raw, and that you can't! I think the high zinc content makes some people get nausea, but I would like an explanation as well 👍🏻

[@mykillmetal1814]

I'll just eat the things eating the plants. Can't go wrong there...

[@davidlawrencekidder]

People eat pokeweed berries to alleviate arthritis symptoms(its an anti inflammatory iirc). Dont eat the seeds and only a couple. As always, do your research. Whats the difference between drugs, medicine, and poison? The dosage.

[@gosteampunkdotcom]

Yep

[@IMChrysalis]

We had elderberry bushes in the corner of our backyard. Our ederly neighbors would get permission from my parents to collect as much as they wanted, to make jams and jellies. They said to never eat them raw...

[@gosteampunkdotcom]

Yep

[@mesokingdom1142]

I ate pokeweed once and I was perfectly fine?

[@daldisimo]

Red elderberry is also poisonous.

[@Yikes705]

I just ate some pokeweed of course spat it out and only licked it a tiny bit so i should be fine

[@elamonty]

Down south, we call him snake berries.

[@seth.j.meyers5954]

I eat a lot of raw elderBarry's on a empty stomach some ripe some green and i am perfectly fine a little stomach ache but no were near throwing up and i was fine after eating a little food and 30:00 minutes later i was eating more raw elderberry taste great on a full stomach but if you need to or want to you will be fine just don't eat a ton

[@FeralForaging]

Yeah, I'm working on a video about this! Some people have a major nauseating reaction, so I generally recommend against.

[@Cherrybomb510]

​@@FeralForagingOhh ok, I had never heard that. I was wondering why not? I ate them all the time as a kid & was fine.

[@FeralForaging]

@@Cherrybomb510 I have a video I'm working on that will explain further. :)

[@xxdragonrenderxx]

Had a bunch of pokeberry on the edge of my garden last year, it has big fan leaves so i figured i would use them as ground cover and started ripping them off, irritated the shit out of my eyes and lungs just from breathing it in

[@andrewjohansen2540]

Very confusing video when you're eating poke berry raw and saying not to eat elder berry raw.

[@Adaman135]

I cannot get rid of those damn poke berries

[@sandraking9650]

Why, good for arthritis & jelly

[@samueltheweber]

Used to have pokeberry plants in my parent’s pasture. I picked then as a kid once, bringing them to my mother to make a pie for me, but when she found out where I had gotten them she nearly panicked asking where I had picked them and if I had eaten any. I did not and so she had me toss them

[@sandraking9650]

Good for arthritis & jelly

[@iisquiddiesquid]

my friend mistook a picture of a bush i sent to her (so she could help me figure out what plant it was) as an elderberry bush i looked at pictures of elderberry and the one i sent and had to convince her that it was not elderberry, it was pokeweed she still doesn't believe me

[@ssmith5127]

I purposely leave several poke plants in spots around my fenced back yard. I've been careful to do quite a bit of reading and research before using the plant in any way. It's nice to know I always have those roots in the ground in case they are ever needed. It's definitely a powerful plant in both positive and negative ways where humans are concerned. My backyard birds seem to appreciate it being around. My dogs have zero interest in it. But I'm always careful to remove it at ground level (quickly) once it begins to wilt and die back. Wouldn't want the dogs chewing on a dying stalk for any reason.

[@hiyoutubeitsme]

hey girl…. they aren’t poisonous LOL😊

[@mrMatrix472]

Weed huh

[@hippybecca]

Looks like i have to temove this before brining my puppy home

[@MidnightThing]

So poke weed is poisonous??

[@FeralForaging]

Should not be consumed without processing. I have videos about this on my page.

[@Gothmog3019]

@@FeralForaginglink please. I have an 8ft pokeweed plant next to my house.

[@dawnmana5876]

​@@Gothmog3019you dont want to eat them when they are bigger and older.

[@Gothmog3019]

@@dawnmana5876 I am aware. Part of the reason I left it alone and let it grow was to get a vial of the berry juice (just for fun).

[@gaywizard2000]

If you can't tell, get a new hobby!

[@phalanges3647]

Just look at the plant with your eyes 😂 they are nothing alike