West Indian Nightshade
Solanum ptycanthum
- Native to:
- Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Is., Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galápagos, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., United States, Uruguay, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.
Joan Simon
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Solanaceae
- Genus:
- Solanum
- Species:
- Solanum ptycanthum
- USDA Symbol:
- SOPT7
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- white
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Eggplant Webworm Moth (Rhectocraspeda periusalis), South American tomato pinworm (Symmetrischema tangolias), striped symmetrischema moth (Symmetrischema striatella), Subflexus straw moth (Heliothis subflexa), Tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta), tomato pinworm (Keiferia lycopersicella)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers disturbed areas with ample sunlight
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily in warm conditions without pretreatment. Light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI