WILDERNESS SURVIVAL GUIDE

   Have you ever seen those movies or read those books where a character runs into a patch of berries and they're so hungry but they know they shouldn't eat them,and they end up eating the berries anyway?Well,if you're evr in a situation like that,I suggest that you be cautious.What if you're about to eat a  type of wild berry that can make you sick,or a type of poisonous berry?If you are not careful,you will find out the hard way.

   One common type of berry that you might find in the wilderness,is the chokecherry,also called the Bitter-berry,Virginia bird cherry,or Prunus Virginiana.To identify these wild cherries,you may need to know that the berry tree/bush has leaves that are dark green with thin sharp edges ,and that the chokecherries are normally smaller than regular cherries.In the spring,the tree/bush has white flowers with a yellow center.Normally,the chokecherry tree can grow up to 6-50 feet tall.The fruit is round and red or a mixture of purple and black,and has thin,smooth,dull gray or a mixture of red and brown bark.

   Choke cherries are commonly found in North America.The chokecherry is ususally found in places with full sun or partial shade or are found near streams.Just because it has choke in its name,doen't mean that it isn't edible,which it is,but it is not a choking hazard.These cherries have a bitter/sour taste but is often used to make wine,syrups,and jams.Chokecherries are an important source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C and can be used to treat cold sores.

   If you're eating a chokecherry,be mindful not to eat the leaves,seeds,or stems because they have toxic acid and can make you sick.Other than that,about 70 bird species eat these berries.Although birds eat it,when livestock eat a large amount of chokecherries,they can get sick.With all of this information,the next time that you read or watch something about survival,make sure that you warn the characters not to eat any wild berries unless they know about it!