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Solanum sisymbriifolium
Sticky Nightshade
Not native to Florida
This native of South America is occasionally found on disturbed sites in Florida from Hillsborough and Polk Counties north. It has also been introduced in most of the coastal states from Texas to Massachusetts, plus Pennsylvania, Arizona, California and Oregon. Also found in Ontario.
Growing up to a meter (~3 ft.) in height, the entire plant is covered withflattened spines up to 15mm (3/5 in.) long. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate, up to 40cm (16 in.) long, 25 cm (6 in.) wide and deeply divided into 4-6 coarse lobes. The leaves are covered with stellate and glandular hairs on both side and have petioles 1-6cm (2/5 to 2-3/8 in.) long. Flowers are five parted, 3cm (1-3/16 in.) across and may be white, light blue or mauve. Each of the five hairy calyces are 5-6mm long. The yellow anthers are 8-10mm (3/10 to 2/5 in.) long, erect and converging. Mature fruit is a red, succulent, globular berry 12-20mm (1/2 to 4/5 in.) in diameter.
Solanum sisymbriifolium is a member of the Solanaceae - Potato family.
Other species of the Solanum genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Solanum americanum - AMERICAN BLACK NIGHTSHADE
Solanum bahamense - BAHAMA NIGHTSHADE
Solanum capsicoides - SODA APPLE
Solanum carolinense var. carolinense - CAROLINA HORSENETTLE
Solanum chenopodioides - BLACK NIGHTSHADE
Solanum dulcamara - CLIMBING NIGHTSHADE
Solanum viarum - TROPICAL SODA APPLE
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Mar 26, 2019
