Calling all plant naturalists

[Cookerhiker]

Surely there are some of you out there who can identify this red berry-adorned bush. The actual photo was taken July 17 where the Trail crosses Rt. 17 in NY just before Harriman Park. Also saw these bushes on Schunemunk Mountain.

And are the berries edible (by humans, that is)?

[Deb]

Bill, that looks a lot like a honeysuckle berry and leaf. If so, the fruit is not poisonous but it does lack taste so is not often eaten. Birds will eat it.

[jlb2012]

I agree with Deb - Lonicera canadensis aka "American fly honeysuckle" I also remember seeing it next to the Old Hotel Trail near where the AT goes over Cole/Cold Mtn. The paired berries are the first key item to note when IDing a honeysuckle in fruit.

[Cookerhiker]

Sounds unanimous. In response to your posts, I consulted my Spring Wildfowers of New England book where the description was right on. Never would have found it on my own since that book only has black-and-white sketches.

Thanks Deb & HOI.

[Cookerhiker]

Deb and I found this flowering plant in the Catskills 2 weeks ago. Anyone know what it is?

[jlb2012]

Is that the same plant you see along Skyline Drive - Heracleum lanatum aka "cow parsnip" ? Generally it has rather large leaves and is up to 6 foot tall.

[Deb]

These plants were huge. That's my arm in the photo for some idea of scale. We found them growing on a rocky downhill that had lots of sun exposure due to the treetops being broken by a mid-April ice storm.
They were so big they looked quite alien.
Thanks HOI.

[Jan LiteShoe]

Is that the same plant you see along Skyline Drive - Heracleum lanatum aka "cow parsnip" ? Generally it has rather large leaves and is up to 6 foot tall.

I also vote cow parsnip. Often found in roadside banks and ditches.
When you weed whack them, you can get a photosensitivity rash.

[zelph]

I also vote cow parsnip. Often found in roadside banks and ditches.
When you weed whack them, you can get a photosensitivity rash.

This plant, wild parsnip, will cause the same symptoms of sensitivity to sun light also. Very invasive plant here in Illinois.

[Cookerhiker]

I looked up Cow Parsnip in my Blue Ridge Mts/Great Smokies flower book where it was labeled as heracleum maximum which I guess varies from heracleum lanatum. The Wild Parsnip from Zelph's post is pastinaca sativa which is displayed in my Spring Wildflowers of New England book. Both are also listed in my Edible Wild Plants book. I vote for cow parsnip rather than wild for the simple reason that Deb didn't suffer the skin irritation.

Thanks veryone. WB is a treasure trove of knowledge.

[jlb2012]

Heracleum maximum is the current nominclature for the plant - Heracleum lanatum is an older name that is now considered a synonym for the H. maximum. WRT Pastinaca sativa - it has yellow flowers while H. maximum has white flowers - the picture showed white flowers so it probably was not wild parsnip.

[zelph]

Heracleum maximum is the current nominclature for the plant - Heracleum lanatum is an older name that is now considered a synonym for the H. maximum. WRT Pastinaca sativa - it has yellow flowers while H. maximum has white flowers - the picture showed white flowers so it probably was not wild parsnip.

I just mentioned the wild parsnip as another plant that will induce the photodermititis response.

I am in total agreement about the plant being cow parsnip. I've been wanting to soak some cow parsnip in the left over juice from marciano cherries. I've read that it was used in that fashion in early days as a sweet treat snack type of food. Vanilla, licorice(Sweet Cicely plant) also used to flavor it. Wild Sarsaparilla also a good flavoring plant.