American actress Alicia Silverstone recently left fans worried after she posted a TikTok video of herself eating an unfamiliar vermilion-coloured berry she found growing on the streets of England.
The situation is that the ‘Clueless’ star might have exposed herself to danger by ingesting what many of the commenters were quick to note was a poisonous plant.
Silverstone literally ate a potentially toxic berry from a roadside bush
In the August 19 TikTok video, Silverstone appeared intrigued yet puzzled by the small, bright, vermilion-coloured fruit she discovered. “I’ve discovered something that I can’t figure out what it is and I need your help,” she began, showing the camera the inside of the fruit, which was filled with seeds.
She went on exclaiming that she had found the fruit while walking on the street and was curious about whether it might be a tomato. “I just bit into it because it was on the street and we were discussing whether this was a tomato or not," she said, before accidentally dropping the fruit on the ground.
{{/usCountry}}She went on exclaiming that she had found the fruit while walking on the street and was curious about whether it might be a tomato. “I just bit into it because it was on the street and we were discussing whether this was a tomato or not," she said, before accidentally dropping the fruit on the ground.
{{/usCountry}}After examining the fruit more closely, she said, “It’s definitely not [a tomato].” Silverstone then showed the plant from which the fruit came, and the dense foliage growing behind a fence.
“If I bite it — I don’t think you’re supposed to eat this. But it’s almost like a pepper. Does anyone know what this is?”
Many viewers were quick to identify it as a Jerusalem cherry, a plant known to be harmful if ingested.
According to the Northern New England Poison Center, Jerusalem cherries are indeed toxic and “harmful to eat”. The organization warns that even a small amount of berries or leaves can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea. If a larger quantity is eaten, more severe reactions, such as drowsiness, hallucinations, or “problems with your heart rate”.
Plantura, a gardening outlet, also notes that the Jerusalem cherry contains a “poisonous alkaloid” that, while not typically life-threatening, can lead to “extremely unpleasant” symptoms.
Many commenters have expressed their worry
“Is Alicia ok??? We need an update!” wrote one concerned follower.
Another commented, “WOMAN! UPDATE US. ARE YOU ALIVE AND WELL!?!”
“Okay it is 7am in England, can you give us an update PLEASE. just a quick ‘hey I’m okay!,” another piped in.
One posted, “Eating random stuff from bushes when you don't know what it is, is a level of non anxiety that I can only aspire to.”