Woman urges people to eat from plants growing around US: 'Snatch them up before the animals do'

There's a way to enjoy a tasty snack while helping out the local ecosystem, and one gardener was excited to show what it was. 

"Come here, there's a little treat that I want to show you," says community gardener Esther (@ecochamberxyz) in a recent TikTok video. 

@ecochamberxyz Now is the time to pick wine berry (aka Rubus phoenicolasius ) they grow on the outskirts of forests in partial shade. #forage #invasivespecies ♬ original sound - Ecochamberxyz

She went on to show off a wineberry bush. The fruits look and taste a lot like raspberries, except wineberry isn't native to North America and is, in fact, invasive. 

"So snatch them up before the animals do," suggests Esther. This would help prevent the seeds from spreading. 

Eating invasive fruits like wineberries is a widely encouraged practice. Even national park managers have recommended wineberries to visitors. Enterprising foragers have found similar uses for Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, and countless other invasive plants. 

Invasive species are a massive problem. Plants and animals taken from their native habitat may find a new home without the same checks and balances they evolved with.

Without challenges to their population, these species can establish monopolies on vital resources like food, water, and space. Over time, this pushes out native species, causes a decline in biodiversity, and reduces the ecosystem services that those natives once provided. 

There are steep costs to invasive species, too. One study tallied it at hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of damages globally over a year.

On top of eating up whatever edible invasive species you can find, building and maintaining a yard full of native plants is a great way to combat aggressive exotic species.

Not only does this provide a healthy and much-needed home for local pollinators, but it's also low-maintenance. Native plants have evolved to thrive in the local climate, making them drought-resistant. That means less time and money spent watering your yard. 

What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time ⏳ Not enough space 🤏 It seems too hard 😬 I have a garden already 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Esther's TikTok followers were keen to give wineberries a shot.  

"I ate 2 and woke up ded, plz help," joked one community member.

"Ayo fam looks like the fist one killed you and the second one had you reborn," Esther replied.

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