SOLANUM. Nightshade. Worldwide. An extremely large group including perennial herbs, shrubs and vines. The foliage is quite variable. Their five-petalled flowers, usually of purple to white, have a distinctive conical “beak” of crowded stamens. The berries which follow are often ornamental. The following selections will thrive in sun or light shade, in most soils, and with moderate to little watering when established. They should be hardy to 15oF or less, except as noted.
aviculare. An unusual species from Down Under, ranging in the wild from New Guinea to Tasmania. It can grow 10-15' high (probably 10' or less in this selection), and at least as wide. It has stout stems loosely clad with deeply 3-lobed to undivided leaves (all on the same plant), up to 8" long, very dark green in color. Purple flowers 1" or more across are presented in pendant clusters along the stems in spring and summer, and decorative orange berries follow. It makes a striking large specimen shrub. Sun or light shade, most soils, moderate watering. The plant is burned to the ground at temperatures below 20o but recovers quickly.
crispum ‘Glasnevin’. Chile. A “relaxed tall shrub” useful either free-standing or spilling over a fence or wall. Though of moderate growth, it should reach 10-15' in height. It has bright green stems and 4" lance shaped, shiny leaves. This selection is essentially everblooming, with pendant clusters of lavender blue, yellow-centered blossoms developing in each leaf axil as growth proceeds. A fine plant for fences, arbors and trellises.
jasminoides. Potato vine. Brazil. A dense, fast-growing vine with narrow, purple tinged leaves and a nearly continual abundance of 1" white, star shaped blossoms borne in pendant clusters. The selection ‘Variegatum’ is identical to the typical form except for brightly yellow-variegated leaves. A good cover for fences and arbors.
sp. unidentified. Southern Mexico. A friend recently identified this beautiful climbing nightshade as S. macranthum (or perhaps S. macranthemum, which may be a separate species). However, further research brings us back to “just don’t know”. It was brought to us from Jalisco, Mexico by our own Narcizo Dueñas. It has lush, dark, tapered leaves up to 4" long. Like S. jasminoides, it seems to be nearly everblooming, with large pendant clusters of waxy purple 3/4" flowers with prominent yellow centers. A surprising bonus is its sweet fragrance, something like that of heliotrope. It has taken bouts of 25o thus far, and may be still hardier. However, it would be wise to protect it from hard frosts.
umbelliferum var. incanum. In its typical form, the species is often a sprawling, rather shapeless shrub. The variety incanum tends to be more compact and mounding, with beautiful grey stems, contrasting blue green leaves and lavender flowers borne in small clusters. These give way to large, shiny green berries. My earlier selection, ‘Juniper Canyon’, has been replaced by one even bushier and more floriferous, dubbed ‘Indians Grey’, discovered recently in the Santa Lucia Mountains. ‘Spring Frost’ is a recent selection by Roger Raiche, similar in habit but featuring pure white flowers.
xantii ‘Salmon Creek’. A many-stemmed, semishrubby perennial, in this selection about 2' tall and 3' broad. Both the stems and the 1" oval leaves are fuzzy and slightly greyish green overall. It is decorated much of the year by clusters of 1" purple, broad-petalled blossoms, which develop shiny green berries. The plant should be cut back hard occasionally for rejuvenation. Selected by Brett Hall of the U.C. Santa Cruz Arboretum.