Are potato fruits (not "potatoes") edible?
My uncle has a fairly expansive garden and he grows potatoes. He asked a question, that being if they'd ever seen tomatoes growing from their potato plants. I've done some research (and remembered some things I had been told), mostly coming to find out that potatoes and tomatoes are both of the nightshade family and so they share some similar traits (one of which that they have similar fruit, i.e. tomatoes and my uncles potato fruits).
My question is whether they're edible or not? (They're from the nightshade family, they could kill you for all I know)
If they ARE edible, how could you cook them?
Best Answer
You cannot; they are full of solanine, which is poisonous. You can use the seeds however to grow new potatoes, though they won't breed true to the parent. This website has some great information: http://tinyfarmblog.com/potato-fruit/
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Are potato fruits edible?
These potato fruits are not edible. In fact, they are poisonous. They contain high amounts of solanine that can make a person very ill. Solanine is also found in potatoes that are dug, left in the sun and the skin turns green.What part of the potato plant is poisonous?
The entire potato plant contains glycoalkaloids, but the highest concentration is found in the leaves, flowers, "eyes," green skin, and sprouts. The lowest concentration is found in the white body of the potato. Toxicity is increased by physical injury to the plant, low storage temperature, and storage in bright light.What are the little green balls growing on my potato plants?
Those round seed pods are also called potato fruit, potato berries and seed balls. They look like green cherry tomatoes and usually appear in small clusters. The interior of a seed pod has up to 500 tiny seeds distributed throughout a mass of moist tissue.Which potato plant is edible?
by M. J. Stephens, Department of Horticulture University of FloridaVegetableCommon Edible PartsOther Edible PartsPotatoes, Sweetrootsleaves and stem shootsRadishrootsleavesSquashfruit with seedsseeds, flowers, young leavesTomatofruits with seeds----------19 more rowsDid You Know Potatoes Produce Poisonous Fruit?
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