Did I Poison Friend 2 nd Time ?

[Nyboy]

Last week while at nursery, I found bush covered in orange berries. I thought it was barberry till I saw edible on pot, tag said gooseberry. I never had a gooseberry so I ate one. Kind of tart, never seeing one before had to buy it. My friend Kristine came over for dinner, on way to my car we past he bush still in its pot. I asked her if she ever had a gooseberry, when she said no I picked one for her.She even joked if I was sure they where safe, I pointed out the edible on pot, she ate one. It was a very short drive to restaurant, when we sat at our table she started feeling real sick and had to go to bathroom. When she came out of bathroom she said we had to leave. Out in parking lot she started throwing up. By the time I drove back to house she was feeling better, I asked if she wanted to go to ER she said no. The only thing she ate was the gooseberry. I looked up gooseberries said many differnt types most are green some red, berries kind of looked like a grape. My berries where orangie red, but much smaller then grape and longated in size. I know labels can get mixed up but pots? There where 3 of these bushes for sale, hard to believe 3 where in wrong pots.

 

[digitS']

When I lived on the California coast, I had wild gooseberries. There was a restaurant on the drive from Oregon that was well-known for its gooseberry pie and I enjoyed stopping there during the wild gooseberry season.

My parents had gooseberry bushes in their yard and Mom would make pie. Maybe they are an acquired taste. Very tart and green.

I understand that there are red gooseberries but I've not seen them. Currants are close to being the same. Can you describe the leaves, NyBoy?

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

Very tiny leaves covered in very small berries (look like barberry) violet flower also small.

 

[flowerweaver]

The gooseberry is foreign to me down here, so I don't know. Guess you could contact the nursery to see if there was a tag mix up. Also, some people just have reactions to otherwise edible things. I once made some tomatillo sauce and my husband's lips and mouth got swollen. After some online research apparently this can trigger allergic reactions in some people, even if tomatoes and other nightshades don't.

 

[digitS']

I thought I knew what barberry leaves look like. That doesn't bring to mind a comparison to gooseberry: (link)

They are lobbed and remind me of a hawthorn.

I suppose barberry leaves might be considered lobbed or the correct botanical term doesn't come to mind. I don't believe they are poisonous, anyway ... are they?

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Oh Nyboy, you are a dangerous friend to have!

Mary

 

[sumi]

Cape gooseberries are orange:

But from your description I don't think this is what you bought?

 

[Nyboy]

Much longer no covering must get photo bush at weekend house

 

[thistlebloom]

NYboy, look up pyracantha and see if matches. The berries can cause a mild reaction, but they are edible, some people make jellies with them.

 

[Nyboy]

Nope berries not in cluster single much longer not round at all