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Solanum dulcamara

Bittersweet

Garden

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Features

BloomsMay to September
Height0.3m to 2m
Spread2m to 2.5m
Growth HabitClimbing
Flower ColourDark purple, rarely white
Leaf ColourGreen

Description

Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet). This is a poisonous woody vine, and grows up to 4.5m. The leaves may be simple or quite deeply lobed. The flowers are lilac to blue, with fruit which are oval or spherical and bright red. This plant is often found in the wild in Northern Europe. STEM: Trailing or clambering, woody below. ROOT: Woody stock. HAIRS: Absent or sometimes dense. STIPULES: Absent LEAF-STALK: Shorter than blade. BRACTS: Absent FLOWER STALK: About equaling flower. SEPALS: 5, joined, teeth shorter than tube. PETALS: 5, equal, bases joined, lobes spear-shaped, curved back. STAMENS: 5, protruding, yellow. STIGMA: 1, style long. OVARY: 1, 2-celled. SEEDS: Many, rounded.

Characteristics

Perennial, Deciduous, Semi-evergreen or Evergreen, Vine

Other common names

Climbing nightshade, Deadly nightshade, Poisonous nightshade

Origin

Britain

Interest and use

Wildflower/meadow, poisonous.

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Needs

LightFull sun
HardinessFully hardy (min -35°C)
SoilHeavy, Well drained, Light, Medium, Rich
Soil pH4.5 to 6.0
WaterSemi-moist

Cultivation

These warm-climate plants are demanding as they require full sun and rich, well-drained soil. You can propagate by seeds in the spring or by semi-ripe cuttings in the summer. They are mildly poisonous.

Propagation

You can propagate by seeds in the spring or by semi-ripe cuttings in the summer.

Pests, diseases or disorders

They are prone to attack by spider mite, whitefly and aphids.

Search or browse our Glossary of 3,000+ botanical and plant-related terms

Solanum dulcamara posts

What wild flowers have you spotted this week?
03 Jul 2014Good Earth Gardens1 Comment
On a long walk in Somerset I spotted Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), Rock rose, (Helianthemum nummularium) Pyramid orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis),…

Anacamptis pyramidalisHelianthemum nummulariumLotus corniculatusRhinanthus minorSolanum dulcamaraVerbena officinalis

**Other Solanum posts**

Devastated and gutted, a squirrel has just destroyed my…
23 May 2017Zemin6 Comments
Don't particularly like to 'net' all my fruit and veg plants, purely on aesthetic consideration. Any suggestions?

Solanum melongena
Sowing 'real' seeds in Spring
28 Mar 2016Good Earth Gardens6 Comments
Happy Easter, to those that celebrate it! I wanted to say something about sowing and sharing seeds, and why this is so important in protecting the biodiversity…

AlliumApiumBetaBrassicaCapsicumCichoriumCucumisDaucus carotaLycopersiconPastinacaPhaseolus coccineusRaphanusSolanum melongenaVicia fabaZea mays
September gardening tasks
10 Sep 2015The GPS Team1 Comment
September is a great month to take stock of the successes and failures this year and put in place plans for better results next year. The soil is still warm,…

AmaryllisAsparagusCrocusCucurbitaHyacinthusMalusNarcissusPetroselinumPrunus domesticaRosaRubus idaeusSolanum tuberosum
Growing veg in Kensington Gardens
19 Mar 2015Jeremy Wright
How things change! I thought I'd share the attached photo of allotments in Kensington Gardens from 1942. In wartime London, the priority was to use any land…

Solanum tuberosum
Should I fleece or 'earth up' my potatoes?
27 Mar 2014Sean Clow4 Comments
I have just planted my potatoes (several varieties). I am in London and am not sure whether I should fleece or build earth up over them to protect against late…

Solanum tuberosum

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