Can you eat bearberries

No, Carolina buckthorn berries cannot be eaten.

Specifically, the Carolina buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana) contain glycosides. The toxins do not bother Songbirds such as brown thrashers, catbirds and mockingbirds. But they may cause low-level diarrhea, nausea and vomiting if ingested by humans. Their role on the dining table therefore needs to be restricted to decorative as part of festive and holiday wreaths.