Leaves

Pairing in opposites along the stem they are deep green, long pointed and have slightly wavy edges to them.

Flowers

Appearing from July to September they are white and sometimes pink delicate funnel shaped flowers, growing from dark red bracts and dangling in clusters called racemes

Seeds

Stem

Coloured green to red and hollow, like bamboo, they can grow up to 10 feet and are flexible when young, eventually turning woody.

Fruit

Individual clusters of berries often ripen at slightly different times growing from under the flower bract. They are very dark brown/dark purple with a small tuft on the end and appear from august-october

Taste

The fruit when ripe have a pleasant burnt caramel almost dark chocolate-like taste

Frequency & law

Uncommon in the wild though easily found where they have escaped from gardens or spread by birds eating the berries

The nuanced bit

The berries have 6 times the amount of vitamin C per 100g as oranges as well as containing potassium, calcium and magnesium

Possible confusion

Fairly distinct when in flower/fruit and therefor hard to confuse with much else

Habitat

Usually appearing as a garden/park escapee, they are tolerant to most well drained soil types and can grow in full sun or shade. Often close to human habitation, as they self seed, it is possible to find these bushes on wasteground, hedgerows and woodland edges.

How to harvest

The berries, ripening in July until October, should be very dark brown when ready to harvest and often burst when picking. Unripe berries that are still firm and lighter in colour can be bitter whilst the ripe ones will be nice and soft and easily pop with juice.

Cooking tips

Ripe berries often burst when collecting which makes consuming them fresh from the bush the best way of eating them. However delicate picking could yield enough ripe berries for use in jams, chutneys etc or used in baked goods. They can also be infused into alcohol or carefully dipped in chocolate.

Other uses

Their hollow stems can be made into woodwind instruments

Folklore

Used in traditional Chinese medicine for a range of ailments including problems with circulation and arthritic pain. It is known as Ghost Flute in China probably due to its hollow stem’s tendency to spookily whistle in the right wind direction