Bluewitch Nightshade
Solanum umbelliferum
- Native to:
- Mexican Pacific Is., Mexico, United States
Miguel Vieira (www.flickr.com) from Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Solanaceae
- Genus:
- Solanum
- Species:
- Solanum umbelliferum
- USDA Symbol:
- SOUM
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, blue, violet
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
eggplant leafroller moth (Lineodes integra), tomato pinworm (Keiferia lycopersicella)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black-tailed bumble (Bombus melanopygus), Pyrobombus Dalla, Yellow-faced bumble (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; adapted to California chaparral fire regimes.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to chaparral and coastal scrub habitats
Propagation & Germination
Pre-treatment: Hot water scarify in 190F water for 1 hour. Soak in fresh cool water overnight. Place in plastic freezer bag with an equal amount of ph neutral peat and stratify at 40F for 1 month or until seeds begin to germinate.
Establishment: Seeds are collected between May 1st and July 1st. Mature fruits are dark green. Seed is yellowish tan and 2 mm across at maturity. S. umbelliferum is found in dry brushy slopes and canyone, below 2,500 feet elevation; from Mendocino County to Santa Barbara County, California.
Source: npn.rngr.net