Alicia Silverstone fans worried she might have eaten toxic plant
Watch: Alicia Silverstone sparks concern from fans as she eats unknown fruit
Alicia Silverstone has sparked concern with fans after fans thought she ate what appears to be a poisonous plant that she found on the street.
The Clueless star is on a visit to the UK and posted a video of herself tucking into the tomato-like plant, admitting "I don't think you're supposed to eat it" and asking for people to help her identify it. Many believed it was a Jerusalem cherry, a toxic plant that is not meant to be eaten, and shared their worries that the vegan actor could become unwell.
Silverstone, who posted the video on Instagram late on Monday night, had not offered an update by Tuesday morning - leaving fans worried. However, by late on Tuesday, Silverstone gave an update to reveal she was "alive and well". She wrote: "Alive and well! Don't worry... I didn't swallow."
What did everyone think Alicia Silverstone had eaten?
Silverstone is vegan and often shares tips on her favourite plant-based foods with her fans, so on her current trip to England she couldn't resist trying a mystery plant and asking UK followers what it was.
The actor was walking along what appeared to be a London street and had reached through some railings into a building's courtyard to pick a tomato-like plant and have a taste.
In the video, she is biting into it and says: "I've discovered something that I can't figure out what it is and I need your help. I've just bit into it because it was on the street and we were discussing whether it was a tomato or not.
"It's definitely not because of these leaves. Look at those leaves. So what the heck is this? Because if you open it up it looks like that (large white seeds inside) and if I bite it...I don't think you're supposed to eat it. It's almost like a pepper. Does anyone know what this is? I don't know what it is. I need someone to tell me. I'm in England."
How did Alicia Silverstone's fans react to her video?
Silverstone's video has prompted a lot of concern from fans, who think she may have eaten a toxic plant called a Jerusalem cherry.
They pleaded with her for an update on how she was feeling as one person commented: "WOMAN! UPDATE US. ARE YOU ALIVE AND WELL!?!" and someone else added: "Is Alicia ok??? We need an update!"
Another follower agreed: "Don’t forget to check in, so we know if you weren’t supposed to eat it."
Sharing their fears about what the plant was, one person commented: "It’s a Jerusalem cherry. Don’t eat it!". Someone else wrote: "According to Google lens Solanum pseudocapsicum is a nightshade species with mildly poisonous fruit. It is commonly known as the Jerusalem cherry, Madeira winter cherry, or, ambiguously, “winter cherry”. So, stop eating fruits from unknown sources, ma’am."
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Others saw the funny side as one fan joked: "Safe to say you were clueless as to what it was?" Another fan advised on eating in the UK: "Don't eat it. Get a fresh salad inside a cafe or somewhere like M&S."
What is a Jerusalem cherry?
The Jerusalem cherry, also called the solanum pseudocapsicum, is a member of the nightshade family of plants which includes some toxic species as well as edible vegetables such as potatoes, aubergines and tomatoes.
It looks like a cherry tomato and the leaves are narrow, dark green and with wavy edges. The fruits can be red, orange or yellow and the seeds inside are white and larger than tomato seeds.
The Royal Horticultural Society lists the plant as: "Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling," and also advises that it can be harmful to dogs.
The Joy of Plants website adds: "The plant first produces white star-shaped flowers. Once they’re pollinated, they become green berries which turn increasingly orange and remain on the plant. Those berries are poisonous, so you should only use a Jerusalem Cherry as a decorative plant, and keep it out of the reach of small children and pets."
What else could the plant be?
Silverstone hasn't updated with a confirmation of what the plant was yet, but some of her fans thought they could be rosehips or a type of itchy berry.
One person wrote: "Itchy-coos , you don’t eat them , you put them down someone’s shirt like itching powder." Someone else commented: "We used to splat them down each others backs in school there like itching powder not sure they are edible though?"
Another person added: "Itchy coos they are called in Scotland. Rose hip berries I think they are called xx"
Other fans wondered whether it could be a cherry pepper or a pepper plant that had not fully grown yet.
