|
Photographer: Kitty Kohout
|
Family Solanaceae
Solanum dulcamara L.
bittersweet nightshade, climbing nightshade, deadly nightshade
Solanum: Latin for "quieting," in reference to the narcotic properties of some species
dulcamara: bittersweet from Latin name
Hazardous 
|
|
| Status: | Introduced - naturalized; potentially invasive |
| Plant: | trailing or twining perennial, up to 8' tall, mostly smooth, woody vine |
| Flower: | purple to blue with shiny, green spots in the center, 5-parted, 1/2" wide, saucer-shape; inflorescence a 1"-3" wide, branched cluster; blooms June-Sep |
| Fruit: | green, then yellow, then orange, then bright red, 1/4" berry |
| Leaf: | stalked, mostly simple but some with 2 lower lobes |
| Habitat: | moist; disturbed sites, woods, cliffs, marshes |
| (Glossary) |
|
