Are Wild Cherries Poisonous? A Comprehensive Guide
Wild cherries, with their attractive appearance and vibrant colors, can be deceiving. While they may look juicy and inviting, they may not be suitable for human consumption. Wild cherries are edible, but only in some cases, and it is essential to determine their safety and edibility before consuming them.
What are Wild Cherries?
Before we delve into the poison aspect of wild cherries, it is crucial to understand what they are. Wild cherries, scientifically known as Prunus serotina or Black Cherry, belong to the Rosaceae family. Native to North America, Europe, and Asia, wild cherries can be identified by their slender branches, dark green leaves, and showy, white-to-pink flowers. Their fruits are, of course, the sweet and flavorful cherries many of us know and love.
Poisonous vs. Edible Cherries: What’s the Difference?
Toxic Species:
Prunus avium, European Sweet Cherry
• Stones and kernels highly toxic due to amygdalin, which breaks down into cyanide when digested
• Fresh fruit might be edible, but ingestion of stones, kernels, or leaves should be strictly avoided
• No evidence of intoxication with the fruit’s juice has been reported, but avoid excessive consumption anyway
Inedible Parts:
• Roots, bark, leaves, and stems, which are all toxic, containing small amounts of gelsemidine and amigdanine
Edible Cherries:
- Prunus fruticosa, Eurasian Sour Cherry
• Fruits might be edible when ripe
• But avoid immature, unripe, or rotting cherries as they can contain toxic substances
Common Lookalikes:
• Other Prunus species: like wild plums, blackthorn, or wild cherries (Prunus serotina, mentioned earlier) which also contain toxic chemicals
- Other families: with similar-looking species, e.g., the Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurifolia), while not the same genus
Dangerous Imitations:
• Other unripe or dead cherries: can confuse or intentionally be misclassified as poisonous, making edibility tests crucial
- *Avoid consuming cherry pits (stones), they are the highest concentrated source of amygdalin and hence most toxic and should be swallowed at absolutely no cost for the same reasons as we’ve addressed
Table: Overview of Edibility and Poisonousness in Cherries
| Edibility | Toxic or Poisonous | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherries (e.g. Prunus fruticosa) | Fruit (maybe) | Bark, stems, roots, leaves (potentially with fruit juice and stones if excessive) | ||
| Stones, pits, kernels | Poisonous to Humans | due to toxic chemicals (cytoalkaloids): amygdalin, (small portions of) other gelsemidine | *The toxic potential with these types is more to the people as the whole plant to ensure safe** | |
| European Sweet Cherries *Prunus avium** | Some | yes | yes for bark |
Red Flags for Identifying Non-Edible Cherries
In summary, edible cherries have the green or partly red fruit at maturity.
When you cut the end, it’s red-colored; it seems that more cherry pits tend to.
You should recognize these specific, but most are considered as edible without problems except those who’ve consumed wild or other black cherries that might.