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Solanum americanum - Mill.

Common Name American Nightshade, American black nightshade
Family Solanaceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards Although no specific mention of the leaves being toxic has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where many if not all the members have poisonous leaves. The immature fruit is poisonous[173].
Habitats Rocky or dry open woods, thickets, shores or openings, often on cultivated or waste ground[43].
Range S. America.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Full sun
Solanum americanum American Nightshade, American black nightshade


http://www.hear.org/starr/
Solanum americanum American Nightshade, American black nightshade
http://www.hear.org/starr/

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Solanum americanum is a ANNUAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Solanum caribaeum. Solanum fistulosum. Solanum hermannii

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit  Leaves
Edible Uses:

Young leaves - cooked. The leaves contain about 6990mg of beta carotene per 100g[173]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Fruit - cooked. It should be used only when fully ripe[173]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed in Britain, though it should be possible to grow it as a spring-sown annual. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in most soils[1].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: United States (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alabama, Florida, Georgia (south), Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California), Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur, ampeche, Chiapas, Colima, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán, Ciudad de México) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Hispaniola, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis (Saint Kitts), St. Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, United States (Puerto Rico), St. Vincent and Grenadines (Saint Vincent), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Solanum aethiopicumMock Tomato, Ethiopian nightshadeShrub2.5 10-12  LMHNM322
Solanum ajanhuiriAjanhuiriPerennial0.0 9-11  LMHSNM20 
Solanum andigenumAndigenaPerennial0.0 -  LMHNM20 
Solanum aviculareKangaroo Apple, New Zealand nightshadeShrub1.8 8-11  LMHNM222
Solanum boreale Perennial0.0 -  LMHNM10 
Solanum boyacense Perennial0.0 -  LMHNM10 
Solanum cari Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Solanum carolinenseHorse Nettle, Carolina horsenettlePerennial1.0 3-7  LMHSNM021
Solanum chauchaChauchaPerennial0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Solanum curtilobumRuckiPerennial0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Solanum dulcamaraBittersweet. Bittersweet Nightshade, Climbing nightshade, Bittersweet, Deadly Nightshade, PoisonousPerennial Climber2.5 4-8 MLMHSNM030
Solanum fendleriWild Potato, Fendler's horsenettle, Texan horsenettlePerennial0.0 0-0  LMHNM32 
Solanum jamesiiColorado Wild Potato, Wild potatoPerennial0.2 8-11  LMHNM20 
Solanum juzepczukiiRuckiPerennial0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Solanum kurzii Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Solanum laciniatumKangaroo AppleShrub3.0 8-11  LMHNM222
Solanum linearifoliumMountain Kangaroo AppleShrub0.0 -  LMHNM20 
Solanum liximitante Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Solanum luteum Annual0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Solanum lycopersicumTomato, Garden TomatoAnnual2.0 10-12 FLMHNM533
Solanum lyratum Perennial Climber2.0 -  LMHNM12 
Solanum maglia Perennial0.0 -  LMHNM20 
Solanum melongenaAubergine, EggplantPerennial1.0 8-11  LMHNM32 
Solanum muricatumPepinoShrub1.0 8-11  LMHNM400
Solanum nigrumBlack Nightshade, Common Nightshade, Poisonberry, Black NightshadeAnnual0.6 0-0  LMHNDM222
Solanum paniculatumJurubeba, NightshadeShrub2.0 10-12 FLMHSNM040
Solanum phurejaPhureja, NightshadePerennial0.0 8-11  LMHSNM30 
Solanum piliferum Perennial0.0 -  LMHNM20 
Solanum pimpinellifoliumCurrant TomatoAnnual/Biennial1.0 10-12 FLMHNM422
12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Mill.

Botanical References

43

Links / References

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