Actress Alicia Silverstone found herself clueless about the identity of an unfamiliar plant while visiting England recently. She took the question to TikTok — where fans and followers promptly chastised Silverstone for chomping down on the plant in question. In her TikTok post, still up as of this writing, Silverstone says, "Okay, I've discovered something that I can't figure out what it is, and I need your help.
" She then reveals that the something in question is a small, orange fruit with seeds inside. Silverstone took a bite out of the mystery fruit before asking for identification help from her fans. Putting on a British accent, she jokes that she knows it's not a "toe-mah-toe" because of the plant's unique leaves.
Users quickly identified the fruit as a Jerusalem cherry. While it's small, red, and looks delectable, it is not a true cherry. Rather, this plant is part of the black nightshade family — and can be poisonous if ingested.
Luckily, Silverstone only took one bite, because she could have wreaked havoc on her digestive system, and even her nervous system, if she consumed more. Resources to check if a plant is edible Alicia Silverstone became a vegan in 1998, and is a vocal advocate for a . It's understandable that a longtime home gardener like her would be curious about an unfamiliar plant.
But taking a bite out of said plant is the last thing you should do, since some plants can be toxic to humans. While many widely used fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes.