While in England, actress Alicia Silverstone stumbled upon a bush with berries on it.
As she’s biting into the berries, she asked her social media followers if they could help her identify the bush. “Okay, I’ve discovered something that I can’t figure out what it is and I need your help,” she told her fans while holding up a half-eaten berry.
@aliciasilverstone What the heck is this!? I’m in England and can’t figure it out. ????
♬ original sound – Alicia Silverstone
“I just bit into it cause it was on the street and we were discussing whether this was a tomato or not,” Silverstone explained, adding that she doesn’t believe it was a tomato because of the way the leaves look on the bush.
“So what the heck is this because when you open it up it looks like that,” she explained while panning to an open berry before she proceeds to bite into yet another one.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to eat this,” Silverstone admits, thinking it could be a “pepper” of some kind.
In the comments section, people were quick to point out that the plant is known as a Jerusalem cherry, and it is in fact poisonous to humans and pets.
“Who just picks something they don’t know what it is and eats it,” a fan questioned.
“Even if it was a tomato, it’s on someone’s private front garden, you can’t just reach through their gate and pick their plants,” another comment read as others begged the actress for an update.
“WOMAN! UPDATE US. ARE YOU ALIVE AND WELL,” a fan asked.
Now, Silverstone is finally updating her fans on her wellbeing. “Alive and well! Don’t worry… I didn’t swallow,” she told her worried fan base.
According to the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, ”the Jerusalem cherry is enjoyed as a houseplant because of its colorful berries during the winter months: however, if consumed, the berries are fatal to humans and pets.”