Family

Solanaceae

Plant Description

Annual herb, strong-scented; leaves alternate, simple but deeply pinnately lobed and toothed; flowers 5-parted, yellow; fruit a red or yellow berry.

Origin

South America.

Where Found

Landscape in vegetable gardens, cultivated for fruit.

Mode

Ingestion

Poisonous Part

Leaves and stems *.

Symptoms

Headache, abdominal pain, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, circulatory and respiratory depression, loss of sensation.

Edibility

EDIBLE PARTS: Berries (tomatoes) edible when unripe (green) or ripe (red), and raw, cooked, or dried.

Toxic Principle

Glycoalkoloids: solanine and demissine.

Severity

TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN *.

* 10/26/2010 According to Dr. Anna Dulaney, Clinical Toxicologist and Assistant Director of Education for the Carolinas Poison Center, since their database began in 1997 there has been only one reference to a child having a reaction related to consuming tomato leaves or stems.  In that instance, the child made and consumed a "Pie" consisting of cedar wood chips, grass clippings, tomato leaves and various other items.  That child vomited, but due to the large number of ingredients in the mixture, it is impossible to attribute the upset stomach to the consumption of tomato leaves.  She noted that in their database, the largest number of tomato leaves consumed at one time was 5 or 6 and that there were no ill effects. (This footnote inserted by Dr. Lucy Bradley, NC State Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist 10/26/2010)