Heavy green berry like clumps on my tree. What could it be?

Question

green berries started growing on my tree. Now it is turning black. What could it be?

Answer 1

I take it this isn't a tree on which you'd normally find berries (as in a mulberry: http://www.oplin.lib.oh.us/tree/fact%20p... )?

If this is something growing on a leaf or wood, it might be a gall, which is an abnormal growth caused by an insect larvae burrowing inside the plant tissues or chemical irritant. The shapes of some galls are specific to certain plants and the agent causing the gall (for instance, the gall of a specific aphid on witch hazel look like Hershey's kisses:  http://nsm1.nsm.iup.edu/rgendron/gallsma...

Some examples of other galls:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/clickr_clic...

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/gar...

http://musicalpeace.org/vyoma/Icons/gall...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drosera-x/4...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78076807@N0...

http://www.hsu.edu/uploadedImages/Biolog...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/radagast/21...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/selago/1165...

Answer 2

do they look anything like the boisen berry? it might be what you have... they are tasty, but dont eat it if you dont know its safe for human consumption...