Alicia Silverstone eats poisonous berry from stranger's yard

Danielle Hale Chief Economist | realtors.com

Alicia Silverstone, known for her role in the film "Clueless," recently experienced an unexpected incident involving a poisonous berry. The actress shared on Instagram that she had eaten an unidentified berry from a stranger's yard in London, later discovering it was toxic.

In a video posted on August 19, Silverstone, 47, asked her followers to help identify the seed-filled snack she found growing outside an unknown person's home. Her post quickly garnered numerous comments from concerned fans warning against eating mysterious fruit and assisting in identifying the berry.

"OK I’ve discovered something [and] I can’t figure out what it is, and I need your help," Silverstone said at the beginning of the clip. Holding up a half-eaten orange berry, she admitted: "I just bit into it."

Silverstone filmed herself examining the plant behind a wrought-iron gate in London. She speculated whether the berries were tomatoes but concluded they were not due to their distinct leaves and appearance.

Despite her uncertainty about the berry's identity, Silverstone bit into another piece of fruit during the video. She described its taste as "almost like a pepper" but acknowledged that this did not aid in identifying it.

Her followers identified the plant as Solanum pseudocapsicum, commonly known as Jerusalem cherry or winter cherry. According to various poison information centers, all parts of this nightshade species are mildly poisonous, particularly unripe fruits. Symptoms of ingestion include fever, sweating, vomiting, stomach pain, headache, increased heart rate, and potentially severe allergic reactions.

One follower commented: "It’s a Jerusalem cherry … Solanum pseudocapsicum … it’s an ornamental so don’t eat anymore." Another added: "Stop eating fruits from unknown sources."

The Northern New England Poison Center notes that these berries are harmful if consumed and resemble cherry tomatoes. They are often used decoratively around Christmas due to their glossy blue-green leaves and bright fruits.

Following concerns from fans about her well-being after ingesting the berry, Silverstone reassured them in a subsequent post: "Alive and well! Don’t worry…"

While relieved by her safety update, one follower advised caution: “ALICIA! Stop eating mystery veggies out of someone else’s street garden!”