This week we have more seeds from red berries.
The plant is a very common one, but you might not have paid much attention to the berries.
Any ideas what plant might have these round black seeds?
Edit: The answer is now posted.
Tag: Seed of the Week (Page 123 of 142)
The mystery seeds from last week were from the coral bean, Erythrina flabelliformis.This particular species grows in the desert Southwest.
There are several coral bean species that grow throughout the world, but they have one thing in common: the bright red seeds are poisonous.
I don’t have any photographs of the plant, but Firefly Forest has a nice summary. The flowers are also brilliant red.
Seed of the Week will resume next Tuesday.
The tightly-packed black mystery seeds from last week belong to the plant commonly known as pyracantha or sometimes firethorn.
The fruit are bright red, making it a lovely plant this time of year.
Several species in the genus Pyracantha are grown as landscape plants throughout the world, but Pyracantha fortuneana is the most common species in the desert Southwest. It was originally from China.
The berries are edible, but not sweet. They can be used to make jelly, for example using this recipe.
Birds, such as the Northern mockingbird, eat the fruit as well.
Do pyracantha grow where you live?
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.