Edible or not? Alicia Silverstone’s misstep shows how toxic lookalikes can fool you

Associated Press

Alicia Silverstone worried fans this week when she posted a TikTok clip of herself nibbling a poisonous berry she found while walking on a sidewalk. The “Clueless” actor was OK. But what she thought was a tomato seems to have been a Jerusalem cherry, which can be toxic. There are numerous toxic plants that look like edible ones. Jerusalem cherries are, like tomatoes, part of the nightshade family. (Warning: The tomato’s fruits are safe, but don’t eat too many of their leaves.) Other toxic plants that can be confused with safe ones include lilies that look like edible onion grass. Pokeweed and Virginia creeper fruits might resemble blueberries but can be fatal if ingested.