Solanum seaforthianum

Solanum seaforthianum, the Brazilian nightshade, is a flowering evergreen vine of the family Solanaceae native to tropical South America. As a member of the Solanum genus, it is related to such plants as the tomato and potato. It is characterized by clusters of four to seven leaves and can climb to a height of 6 m (20 ft) given enough room. It blooms in the mid to late summer with clusters of star-shaped purple inflorescence followed by scarlet marble-sized berries. The plant is highly heat resistant, but cannot tolerate frost conditions. The plant contains modest amounts of various tropane alkaloids such as atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine and should be considered mildly toxic and inedible. Promising molluscicidal and schistosomicidal activities were displayed for the S. seaforthianum extracts and fractions which are attributed to the glycoalkaloid content.The species has become widely naturalised outside its native range and is an invasive species in Australia, Africa, Indochina, the Pacific Islands and India, choking native vegetation and poisoning livestock.

💡 Brazilian nightshade is an invasive species that thrives outside its native range. It has been known to overtake native plants and poison livestock in regions like Australia, Africa, and Indochina. While some nightshades are safe to eat, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants, many others are highly toxic and certainly live up to their slightly sinister reputation.

Characteristics

Plant Type

Vine

Life Cycle

Perennial

Genus

Solanum

Family

Solanaceae

Hardiness Zone

11-12

Mature Height

6.1 m

Mature Spread

3.96 m

Leaf Color

Green

Leaf Type

Evergreen

Flower Color

Lavender

Flower Size

2.54 cm to 5.08 cm

Bloom Time

All year round

Planting Time

Spring, Summer, Autumn

Harvest Time

All year round

Native Area

Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago

Tags (6)

Common Names (12)