Hi, I'm new here :). I'm in the southeastern (Georgia) United States, and discovered a tree growing close to the Savannah river. The tree is fairly tall, over 16 feet, and has fleshy raspberry like fruits ranging from orange to pinky-red in color. The pinky red fruits, which look ripe, are the color, shape, and texture of Raspberries. These fruits are a bit larger then a raspberry (about 2 times the size), and when squeezed, ooze a clear juice and a milky/white/sticky substance comes from the fruit too. The milky/white/sticky stuff leaks out of the stem when you pick it as well. It's frosted and fuzzy just like a raspberry, and soft ;).The tree's leaves are tear-drop in shape. Inside the fruit are very tiny (about the circumference of a human hair) brown (looks like seeds) elongated pods (probably only 5-6 of them). The seed things actually remind me of Fescue grass seeds and are brown. Someone on another forum felt it to be a Cudrania tricuspidata (Chinese Mulberry or Mandarin Melon Berry). The fruit looks identical to this tree, however when I google this tree looking for information about the milky stuff, there is no mention of this. I'm not sure if the brown pods are seeds, but can't find a photo of seeds of a Cudrania tricuspidata on the internet . I was able to find that the Cudrania tricuspidata has 5-6 seeds inside. I have been researching this for 2 days, to be sure this tree is a Cudrania tricuspidata. I know the Cudrania tricuspidata is part fig, and figs have milky sap, but no mention of the Cudrania tricuspidata having milky sap. Can someone please tell me what this is? I am just DYING to know. Can you tell me if there is any poisonious trees that resemble Cudrania tricuspidata? It's taking all I can muster not to TRY one :) they look delicious! Below are links to photos of the tree and fruit. I really hope someone can help me with this. Thank you so very much, Brioli Here is picture of fruit and trees: http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n92/Brioliluvlea_2006/PA020564.jpg Here is a picture of berry with milky stuff: http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n92/Brioliluvlea_2006/PA020569.jpg Here is a picture of the bark and trunk of the tree: http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n92/Brioliluvlea_2006/PA020570.jpg Here is a pciture of the berry cut in half: http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n92/Brioliluvlea_2006/PA020588.jpg
Agree with Cudrania tricuspidata. The fruit is edible; according to this link, often tasteless, but can be very good: http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Cudrania+tricuspidata Milky sap is characteristic of the whole family.
