Bird-cherry trees have black berries

Photo: Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
Bird-cherry
 
Bird-cherry        Harilik toomingas       Padus avium
 
From the strongly perfumed white flower racemes black berries have ripened – time seems to fly. The black fruits or drupes of the bird-cherry seem like small plums and their fruit flesh is edible – tart and with a quite large content of Vitamin C, but with a constipation-promoting effect. Some people even like such fruits with much tannins that make the mouth ”thick”.
 
The stones or pits of the bird-cherry fruit contain amygdalin, a substance that is harmful to humans but even if the pit is swallowed nothing terrible will happen, the pit will not decompose in our digestive tract.
 
In using the ”berries” to prepare drinks or sweet courses with the special taste, crushing the pits should be avoided.
 
(Estonian original published 30.07.2014)


 

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