Common Name: Cutleaf Nightshade

General Information

Solanum triflorum is a sprawling annual plant that can grow around 30 - 100cm tall and spread 50 - 100cm[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine
Solanum triflorum has become a weed of cultivation and disturbed sites. It is a declared weed in Tasmania, where it has the potential to be a serious agricultural weed - impotation, sale and distribution of the plant are prohibited[].

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are poisonous[].
Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most species in this genus also contain toxic alkaloids. Whilst these alkaloids can make the plant useful in treaing a range of medical conditions, they can also cause problems such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness and respiratory depression[].
Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant[].

Botanical References

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Range

N. America - British Columbia to Quebec, south to California, Texas, Tennessee and Ohio; Southern S. America - Argentina

Habitat

Dry plains, open woods, roadsides etc[]. Dunes, recreational areas, along the sides of roads, waste places etc[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.75 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most soils, growing best in a sunny position in a well-drained soil[].
This species is said to be a good companion for watermelons, it has been planted with them in order to make the watermelons more prolific and ripen earlier[]. An infusion of the plant has been sprayed on the watermelons in order to make them more prolific and ripen earlier[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , ]. Used in times of food shortage[]. Considered to be poisonous by some native peoples[]. Eaten as a fruit or vegetable, the fruit can also be dried, ground into a powder and used with cereals for making bread etc[]. The ripe fruit can be boiled, mashed and mixed with ground chilli and salt then used as a condiment with mush or bread[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the berries has been used in the treatment of stomach aches and for children with diarrhoea[].

Other Uses

None known

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.