Common Name: Horse Nettle

General Information

Solanum carolinense is a prickly, herbaceous perennial plant with erect, losely branched stems; it can grow around 30 - 120cm tall. The plant has an extensive root system with vertical taproots that can be 240cm long and creeping, horizontal roots that send up new shoots at intercals and can spread several metres from the taproots.[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials.
Solanum carolinense can spread widely by its roots and seed. It has spread from its original range in southeastern N. America to become a weed in many parts of Canada and the USA. It has also been spread by human activity to several other areas of the world, such as Australia and New Zealand, where it has become a weed[]..

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are potentially poisonous[]. Fatalities have been reported with children[].
The fruits contain solanine alkaloids. Ingestion can cause nausea, vomiting, salivation, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness, respiratory depression; in larger doses it may be fatal[].

Botanical References

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Range

N. America - Washington to South Dakota, Minnesota, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick; south to California, northern Mexico, Texas and Florida

Habitat

Dry fields and waste ground, usually in sandy soils[, , ]. A weedy plant in disturbed areas, roadsides, old fields, wasteplaces, pastures; forest or natural area[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Solanum carolinense is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -35°c when fully dormant[].
The plant succeeds in a wide range of soil types, but thrives best in sandy or gravelly soils. The plant grows rapidly during hot weather and also tolerates drought[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

This plant should be used with caution, see the notes above on toxicity.
The berries and the root are anodyne, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac and diuretic[, ]. They have been used in the treatment of epilepsy[, ]. They have been recommended in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and other convulsive disorders[, ].
The berries should be harvested when fully ripe and carefully air-dried[].

An infusion of the seeds has been gargled as a treatment for sore throats and drunk in the treatment of goitre[].

A tea made from the wilted leaves has been gargled in the treatment of sore throats and the tea has been drunk in the treatment of worms[, ].
A poultice made from the leaves has been applied to poison ivy rash[].

Other Uses

The leaves have been used as an insecticide[].

Propagation

Seed - when freshly harvested the seeds are highly dormant, and alternating temperatures from 20 - 30°c increase germination rates. The seeds require temperatures above 15°c to germinate. Light is not necessary for germination, but may be involved in breaking dormancy. The seedlings can emerge from depths of 10cm in the soil and can retain their viability for at least 3 years when buried at depths of 8 - 12cm[].
Sow stored seed early spring in a warm greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.
The plant can be increased very easily with root cuttings or divisions - even small sections root readily[].