Hello again everyone. I have another seed pod ID question. This one was found on a plant about 5' tall, it had tons of these on it. It looks like a foot long cluster of black mini grapes (the black pods are the size of a pea)! Someone told me it might be a nightshade, but I wanted to make sure. Thanks so much, once again!
Pokeweed Phytolacca americana. Poisonous for people, don't eat them. Birds can (and do!) eat them safely though.
Wow, thanks for the quick and informative reply! This is the second poisonous plant I had this summer! Gonna stay away from this one. Thanks again!
I wouldn't worry too much, it isn't dangerously poisonous, you'd have to eat quite a lot to get badly ill. It isn't the sort where one berry kills.
Cool thanks for the information! I was worried about my dog as well. I took all of the berries down, (before taking the pic) and put them in a bucket, got rid of the dead plant. Guess I will put some out by the bird feeder since birds seem to like them so much.
First check, then eat - is the best safety policy with all unknown plants. Sometimes you need very detailed knowledge to be safe - mint for example. There are many very useful mint forms, but at least one is toxic. Many plants from Apiaceae (=Umbeliferae) family are deadly poisonous, but carrot is edible, etc, etc.
