About

Solanum seaforthianum, the Brazilian nightshade, is a flowering evergreen vine of the family Solanaceae native to tropical South America and the West Indies. As a member of the Solanum genus, it is related to such plants as the tomato and potato. The plant is highly heat resistant, but cannot tolerate frost conditions. Its other common names include blue potato vine, climbing nightshade, Italian jasmine, potato creeper, St. Vincent lilac, star potato vine and vining solanum.

Safety

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.

All parts of the plant are toxic. Ingestion of the leaves or fruit may cause gastrointestinal irritation, including nausea and diarrhea. Consumption of the fruit has caused adverse effects in children and poultry. Livestock, including cattle, pigs, and sheep, have also been affected by this species.

Where it grows

This species is considered native to Mexico, Central America (including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), the Caribbean (e.g. Trinidad and Tobago), south-eastern United States (Florida), and parts of tropical South America, particularly Venezuela and Colombia.

Other Solanum plants

Dwarf Tamarillo · Solanum acaule · Sodaapple nightshade · Ethiopian nightshade · American black nightshade · Solanum arcanum · New Zealand nightshade · Solanum berthaultii · Tamarillo · Solanum brevicaule · Solanum cajanumense · Bitter Apple