No idea what this plant is...

[Hooverville]

Found a plant growing just outside the backdoor in a bed of lily-of-the-valley. It has jagged edged, opposite growing leaves, a couple of little white flowers with yellow centers, and several small green "berries" that when crushed have tiny white seeds. At first, I got really excited and thought woo hoo elderberries! But after looking at various pictures online, I just don't think so. I know elderberry can be confused with water hemlock, but it doesn't look like those pictures either. I'm going to try to get a picture of it on here later, but does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.

[krapgame]

Does it look like this?

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/black_nightshade.htm

If it does, don't eat it. From how you described the flowers, leaves and berries, this is what came first to my mind.

[Hooverville]

Does it look like this?

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/black_nightshade.htm

If it does, don't eat it. From how you described the flowers, leaves and berries, this is what came first to my mind.

Aha! That's it!! Thank you! Now what do I do with it? Is it useful in any way? Or should I try to uproot it completely and dispose of it?

[bookwormom]

It is an awful weed, and here it comes with stickers. It is poisonous, none of the stock eat it and we have too much of it in the pastures and I wish I knew how to get rid of it.

[krapgame]

Yesterday morning, I'd have told you to get rid of it. However, in researching this a bit, I find that my understanding of the plant may be incorrect. Black Nightshade is different than Deadly Nightshade. The latter is terribly poisonous, the former may actually be edible, especially the ripe berries. In fact, I even find recipes for Black Nightshade jam on the web. Until today, I always assumed the two were the same. I would still get rid of it, but do your own research and proceed accordingly.

I'm pretty sure that the foliage, if eaten by livestock in the wilt stage (cut but not fully dried) is deadly. Probably prussic acid, but not certain. However, if fully dried, we've had infestations of it in hay that was eaten by cows with no problems.

[Hooverville]

Well, after thinking about it, and the fact that there were only two plants and they were growing in my flower bed... I did pull them out. Can't be worrying about the grandkids - figured better safe than sorry.
Thanks again for helping identify them.

[oldtimer]

Look under the food forum for our recipe for nightshade pie. It's just the wild version of the garden huckleberry, which also is toxic in the green berry stage though no one in their right mind would eat enough grren berries to poison himself as they are very bitter green.

When cooked, they make a substitute for blueberries. I had some pie last week and it was fantastic. I have eaten pies from nightshade for years and haven't passed over yet.

[bookwormom]

I'm pretty sure that the foliage, if eaten by livestock in the wilt stage (cut but not fully dried) is deadly. Probably prussic acid, but not certain. However, if fully dried, we've had infestations of it in hay that was eaten by cows with no problems.


I think that is how we got the dang things. I have noticed it in hay on occasion, I am sure our cows ate it and deposited the seeds.

[Hooverville]

Look under the food forum for our recipe for nightshade pie. It's just the wild version of the garden huckleberry, which also is toxic in the green berry stage though no one in their right mind would eat enough grren berries to poison himself as they are very bitter green.

When cooked, they make a substitute for blueberries. I had some pie last week and it was fantastic. I have eaten pies from nightshade for years and haven't passed over yet.

Oldtimer, I really appreciate the info, but when it comes to the grandkids, I get a bit carried away. It's funny, when my own kids were small, I felt more in control, but now I find myself turning into my dad and worry about every little thing with them. Oh well...what can I say...

[Landscape Lady]

Found a plant growing just outside the backdoor in a bed of lily-of-the-valley. It has jagged edged, opposite growing leaves, a couple of little white flowers with yellow centers, and several small green "berries" that when crushed have tiny white seeds. At first, I got really excited and thought woo hoo elderberries! But after looking at various pictures online, I just don't think so. I know elderberry can be confused with water hemlock, but it doesn't look like those pictures either. I'm going to try to get a picture of it on here later, but does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
Killing Nightshade:
3 ounces MecAmine (2,4 D Amine) per gallon of water in sprayer
Add about 1 tablespoon per gallon of liquid dish soap, shampoo, or body wash as a spreader-sticker to mixture.
Unfortunately, the 2,4 D will kill out all deciduous plant material under the nightshade.