wasn't sure how to flair this, I hope it's okay to just post pics of plants lol. anyway these guys are in a few overgrown patches of my backyard (Ashe County, NC), and I'd guessed they were poisonous b/c of the bright pink stems. apparently the young leaves can be eaten though, if you boil them first!
by Responsible-Ad336
1 Comment
That bright pink is a signature of Caryophyllales, a *very* interesting order that has only two things in common. They are almost all weird extremophiles, and all of them (except for the nominative family, Caryophyllaceae, carnations etc) have betalain pigments instead of anthocyanins, which is why they have such an otherworldly color. You can find the same color in cactus flowers, ice plant flowers, bougainvillaea flowers, Swiss chard, beets, and pokeweed. And some others too.
That pigment is not stable to UV or oxygen, it makes a fun ink (just crush the berries), but expect it to turn an ugly brown within a few months. It is frustratingly unstable.
Also, while I personally am not offended, I don’t think random plant pics are appropriate for this sub. I am also not a mod and do not have relevant opinions.