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Solanum laciniatum - Aiton.

Common Name Kangaroo Apple
Family Solanaceae
USDA hardiness 8-11
Known Hazards All green parts of the plant, and the unripe fruits, are poisonous[154, 173].
Habitats Open scrub and forest margins at low altitudes near the coast[260].
Range Australia.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Half Hardy Moist Soil Full sun
Solanum laciniatum Kangaroo Apple


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Carstor
Solanum laciniatum Kangaroo Apple
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rl

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Solanum laciniatum is an evergreen Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft 10in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from August to October. 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 aviculare var. laciniatum

Habitats

 Hedge; East Wall. By. South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:

Fruit - raw or cooked[105, 173]. It must be thoroughly ripe because the unripe fruit is poisonous[2, 46, 153, 154]. It can be used as a sweet fruit or as a vegetable[61]. Best harvested once it has fallen from the plant, the fruit will then have lost its unpleasant acidity[183]. It tastes much worse than it looks, the fruit is sickly sweet and often bitter[193]. The quality varies from plant to plant and even from year to year from the same plant[193]. The fruit is up to 2cm long and contains a large number of flat seeds[193].

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.
Miscellany

A source of steroids, much used in the pharmaceutical industry. The unripe berries are the richest source[153, 173].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

Hedge  Hedge  Miscellany

In warmer climates than Britain this plant is often used as a hedge[157].

Special Uses

Hedge  Hedge

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most fertile soils in a sunny position[182]. Tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[157] but is not very hardy in Britain. It sometimes succeeds as a shrub outdoors in the mildest areas of the country[166] but is more usually cut to the ground by winter cold. It can, however, be grown at the foot of a warm sunny wall and be treated as a herbaceous perennial. As long as the roots are given a good mulch in autumn they should survive quite cold winters[1, 166]. Alternatively, it is possible to grow the plant as an annual. If the seed is sown in early spring in a warm greenhouse and planted out after the last frosts it can fruit in its first year though yields will be lower than from plants grown as perennials[K]. There is much confusion between this species and S. aviculare. Some botanists unite the two under S. aviculare whilst others say that S. laciniatum is a tetraploid form of that species[50]. S. laciniatum is treated as a distinct species here[K].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a warm greenhouse. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If growing the plants as annuals, plant them out after the last expected frosts and give them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing well. If growing as a perennial, especially in areas at the limits of its cold-hardiness, it will probably be better to grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Give them fairly large pots (12cm or larger) because they have very strong root growth. Top growth might die back over winter, but the roots should survive if temperatures in the greenhouse do not fall below about -5°c. Plant them out in early summer of the following year. The plants will be somewhat hardier in their second winter. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy, the cuttings root within a couple of weeks. Pot them up in fairly large pots and overwinter them in the greenhouse before planting out in early summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

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 :

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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.

 

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Author

Aiton.

Botanical References

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Links / References

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Readers comment

David McCutcheon   Mon Mar 13 2006

Tasted a very ripe fruit from this plant, once is enough. I can't adequately describe how grossly bitter, sour and HOT the sensation of that taste was. It lingered for ages, I mean to say it persisted, really persisted, in my mouth and on through the digestive tract - expelling other digested nutrients afterward it totally burnt the local orifice chairing that motion. Hey, if I had passed wind just then, a glowing cloud of superhot gas would surely have devastated any fauna and flora in my vicinity. Assuredly I have done planet Earth great service with this incredibly important finding: DO NOT TASTE THIS FRUIT!

Warren Keen   Sun Sep 23 2007

According to wikipedia this plant can be used as a rootstock for Eggplant allowing increased production and longevity compared to a standard Eggplant.

wikipedia

P. N. Borkotoky   Tue May 26 2009

@ Mr. David They can be eaten and are sweet to taste.

John McKirdy   Mon Nov 30 2009

Are we talking about the same plant here? Another website says every part of this plant is poisonous.

david   Tue Dec 1 2009

All parts are poisonous except the ripe, (probably more like over-ripe, with the skin bursting) fruit. I used to eat the fruit a lot until the novelty wore off, it is common wild here in New Zealand. Poisoning causes vomiting, diarrhoea, depression and pain in the abdomin (Source: A Feild Guide to native edible plants of New Zealand by Crowe). There is a note about dangers at the top of each plant page on this site.

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Subject : Solanum laciniatum  
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