Nightshade is a houseplant, which is characterized by a low evergreen shrub native to the southern regions of America, namely from the Maider Islands. The leaves of such a plant have a glossy oblong shape. The nightshade shrub gained its popularity due to its unusualness, which is expressed in the simultaneous year-round growth of flowers, green ovaries and ripe berries of bright orange color on a bush.
types of nightshade
Despite the attractiveness of the fruits, they are strictly forbidden to eat, as they are poisonous.
Therefore, in a house where there are small children, growing such a houseplant is not recommended. The nightshade family has more than one and a half thousand various kinds, of which half grows in the wild, and the rest at home.
Many cultivated species can be grown not only in room conditions, but also in open field. Not many people know that potatoes and eggplants are also nightshade plants.
In apartments and offices, you can now find quite a large number of varieties of growing nightshade. Most often, the premises are planted with the help of the following types of nightshade shrubs:
- False transverse. It is an ornamental tree, standing no more than fifty centimeters. A large number of branched shoots are densely covered with oblong dark green leaves. The flowers of such a nightshade are small, white shade, and are located at a certain distance from each other. Flowering occurs continuously throughout the year. Ripe fruits resemble cherries in shape and color. At the beginning they are green the size of a pea, then they turn orange and at the end of ripening they turn into a bright red hue. Due to the fact that flowers, born and ripened fruits can be found on the false nightshade at the same time, it is a good decoration for any room, especially in winter time of the year;
- Pepper or peppery. A bush up to sixty centimeters high, the leaves on it are rarely located, lowered, have different sizes(from two to seven centimeters), bluish green with wavy edges. The flowers are small (no more than one and a half centimeters in diameter), white. Blooms usually in summer. The fruits are not large (slightly more than one centimeter in diameter), ripen in the autumn-winter period, and have a bright red color.
There are also a very large number of subspecies of false-pepper and pepper nightshade. Which differ from each other in the size of the bush and fruits, the color of the leaves and berries, as well as the branching of the shoots.
For good development, abundant flowering and fruiting, nightshade it is necessary that the conditions of detention withstand the following requirements:
- The air temperature in the room should not be less than fifteen and not more than twenty-five degrees Celsius. Simply put, for such a culture it is necessary to create a spring-summer air temperature. It should also be borne in mind that most species in winter need a lower temperature, up to thirteen degrees Celsius;
- Lighting should be bright, and almost constant. Therefore, such plants are best placed on windowsills with a sunny side. At the same time, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature near the window so that it does not exceed plus twenty-seven degrees Celsius, especially in the hot summer months;
- Humidity should be about sixty percent, but by no means less. To control the humidity in the room where nightshade grows, it is advisable to provide a hygrometer. If there is not enough humidity in the room, then the plant should be sprayed every day with cool water, and once a week placed in a specially prepared pan with wet pebbles or sand.
Compliance with the above rules for the maintenance of nightshade will help the owner grow a healthy and blooming, as well as filled life energy bush.
Breeding options
There are two ways to propagate nightshade:
- From seed. In this case, the bushes will be well formed and strong;
- cuttings. This method involves more time for rooting and adaptation of the plant in the new soil.
Depending on the planting option, the fruits on the shrub can be both plentiful and large, and vice versa.
To grow indoor nightshade bushes from seeds, you need:
In order for a beautiful voluminous nightshade bush to form in the future, seedlings that have reached a height of ten centimeters must be pinched and removed side shoots. Thus, the growing indoor shrub will acquire a spherical shape.
Summer and winter plant care
The nuances of nightshade care have significant differences, depending primarily on the time of year.
Care in the warm spring-summer period, the nightshade bush requires the following:
- As the soil dries, water the plant;
- Carefully loosen the soil so as not to damage the root system of the shrub. On this stage, nightshade does not need fertilizing with fertilizers;
- During the flowering period, carry out artificial pollination. In this case, you need to manually move the pollen from one inflorescence to another;
- When the plant reaches the age of five, you need to transplant it into a larger vessel with the addition of sod;
- For the summer months, take nightshade to open air. At the same time, care must be taken that the place of his temporary stay is slightly shaded and protected from drafts;
- Feed an adult shrub at least once every two weeks;
- In the morning and evening, spray the leaves of the indoor dweller.
Autumn-winter nightshade care is as follows:
- The closer the cold, the less often it is necessary to water and feed the plant. Watering is done approximately once every ten days. The dormant period for nightshade falls between October and February;
- Choose a new, well-lit, but cool place for the nightshade, where the air humidity will be high;
- Air the plant once a week;
- In early March, it is necessary to increase the frequency of watering, since it is at this time that the bush wakes up.
Difficulties encountered in growing nightshade
When growing indoor nightshade, problems may arise that are characterized by the following features:
- Reducing the number of fruits. The reason is insufficient pollination. To avoid such troubles, you need to carefully move the pollen from one flower to another with a cotton swab or soft brush;
- Leaves and fruits fall off. In this case, too high humidity and room temperature may become an influencing factor;
- Damage by harmful insects and fungi. This is facilitated by a low percentage of air humidity.
The most common nightshade pests are:
- Whitefly. These are greenish larvae that start up on the inside of the leaf and suck the juice out of it. Subsequently, the affected leaf becomes covered with spots, after which it dries up and disappears. If you touch an infected plant, then a whole swarm of barely noticeable white midges will fly out of it;
- Aphid. In most cases, it attacks the plant in the summer, especially for those shrubs that have been taken out into the open air. The top of the stem and leaves are primarily affected.
To prevent the plant from pests, it must be treated with special chemicals, which are currently more than enough in garden stores.
In contact with
Nightshade (Latin name "Solyanum") belongs to the nightshade family. In nature, there are more than 1500 species of nightshade. This amazing family includes both wild and well-known cultivated plants. For example - potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant. Amateur gardeners also plant on their plots ornamental variety nightshade "Curly" or variety "Jasmine". In the nightshade family there are also representatives of indoor flowers (pepper-shaped nightshade and false-pepper nightshade). These solanums are distinguished by the brightness of the fruits and the spectacular greenery of the foliage.
Mostly plants from the nightshade family are evergreen shrubs that grow in the tropics and subtropics. But the largest concentration of species is in South America.
Most nightshades are perennials, but there are also annual species. Solanaceae species is so large that in this family there are herbs, shrubs, climbing vines and even trees. The fruits, as a rule, in the nightshade are a multi-seeded berry.
Lighting
Nightshade is a photophilous plant. Loves sunlight. Shading is required only on the hottest days.
Temperature
In spring and summer, the plant feels good at temperatures from + 20⁰ to + 25⁰С. And in winter and autumn, nightshade prefers cooler temperatures up to + 15⁰С. If you follow these temperature conditions the plant will bear fruit longer. Nightshade does not tolerate drafts, although it needs fresh air.
Watering
From early spring, all summer until the end of September, the plant requires abundant watering. At indoor varieties nightshade from October to February there is a period of rest. In months when the plant lacks light and low humidity, it should be moved to a cool, bright place in the apartment and watering should be limited. During this period, the flower needs only spraying. You can start watering only with the appearance of new shoots. Usually, it is the middle of February.
Air humidity
For nightshade, the optimum air humidity is not lower than 60%. Daily spraying is recommended, or moisturizing with a water tray filled with expanded clay.
The soil
Most suitable composition land for nightshade is a mixture of soddy land, leaf humus and peat. The ratio is 1:1:1.
Top dressings and fertilizers
During active growth and flowering nightshade needs regular fertilization. It can be special fertilizers for indoor plants. The same applies to fertilizers for tomatoes.
Transfer
You only need to transfer mature plant. This should be done in early spring. During transplantation, the shoots are cut to half the length of the plant.
Nightshade propagates both cuttings and seeds. Consider these 2 ways:
Reproduction by seeds
Spread the seeds on moistened soil, sprinkle with a thin layer of sand or humus on top and close plastic wrap or glass. Optimum temperature for germination 20-22⁰С. The first shoots should appear in about two weeks. Next, the plant must be dived and transplanted into separate pots. When transplanting, pinch the young shoot. For further growth and development, nightshade requires repeated pruning. Thus, we form a more lush flower crown.
Reproduction by cuttings
In the spring or during the summer, we drop the stalk with a thin layer of earth. Nightshade rooted very well in this way. Just as with seed germination, the young shoot needs to be pinched off, then we also form the plant with pruning several times.
Like other plants, nightshade is susceptible to disease and has its own pests. The most common pests are whiteflies and orange aphids. If you notice green larvae on the opposite side of the leaf, and the leaves begin to turn yellow, curl and fall off, then the plant is inhabited by whitefly larvae. They suck all the juice from the flower. At the slightest touch, a whole cloud of small midges appears above the flower.
How to deal with whitefly. First you need to collect all the affected leaves. Next, we begin to spray with special chemicals that fight harmful insects (insecticides). Spraying should be done at least 3 times a day.
Orange aphid. Like whitefly larvae, aphids damage the leaves of the plant. Usually, aphids settle on the underside of the leaf. They turn yellow, curl and fall off.
How to deal with . If there are no special spray preparations at hand, you can use a steep soap solution. Plant processing can be carried out several times.
If the air in the apartment is very dry, then there is a risk of infection with red. If a cobweb has appeared on the plant, specks that grow and merge, then immediate measures must be taken. Increase the humidity around the plant. If this does not help, then you need to spray the nightshade with acaricides.
Solyanum jasmine- evergreen, climbing shrub. The height of the flower reaches 4 meters. Branches bare, thin. The location of the leaves is closer to the top of the shoots. They have a simple ovoid shape, and the leaves located closer to the trunk are larger, shiny, up to 6 centimeters in length. The flowers are white-blue, about 2 centimeters in diameter. The fruits of Jasmine Nightshade are bright scarlet berries. This type is long and abundant flowering, about 8 months.
Solyanum Giant – evergreen shrub. Plant height reaches 6 meters. The branches are strong, densely branched. The shoots are covered with pubescent gray-white thorns. The elliptical shape of the leaves, reaching a length of 25 cm. The top of the leaf is bright green, and the lower part is white-gray pubescent. Hanging inflorescences with small dark purple flowers. Blooms "Giant nightshade" from July to August.
Solyanum "Zeaforta"- climbing shrub, reaching 6 meters in height. The shape of the foliage is pinnate, that is, a group of leaf blades in which the last blade has no pair. The leaf shape is oblong with a pointed apex. Flowers consist of axillary panicles of light purple color. The fruits of "Zeafort" are red-orange in color, ovoid. Continuous flowering from autumn to early spring.
Solyanum Wendland- an evergreen climbing shrub, reaching 6 meters in height, with highly branched branches covered with small thorns. The upper leaves are pinnately dissected, about 10 cm long. The lower leaves are three-lobed, not more than 25 cm long. The color of the foliage is dark green. The flowers of "Wendland Nightshade" are bell-shaped, in the upper part they are collected in panicles. The color of the inflorescences is purple-lilac. The fruits are bright red. Blooms all summer from June to August.
Solyanum Curly- fast growing evergreen or semi-evergreen vine. It is also called Glasnevin. This is a hardy, easy to care for plant. Star-shaped flowers, very similar to a potato flower. Berries are pale yellow. Flowering from June to October. Gardeners use Glasnevin in vertical compositions and to decorate arbors and walls. This species is the most cold-resistant among its family.
Solyanum False transverse- a small, evergreen shrub, 50 centimeters high. Densely growing shoots are covered with rich green foliage. Leaves arranged in pairs have an elongated shape. During flowering, the plant is covered with small white flowers. This is a constantly flowering plant. The fruits change color from green to bright red as they ripen. They are similar in size and shape to cherries. The berries of "False nightshade" are poisonous. There is a dwarf form no more than 30 cm high. This species is very popular with indoor flower growers.
Solunum Pepper- undersized shrub with sparsely pubescent green-gray leaves. Height is not more than 50 cm. The shape of the leaves along the edge is wavy, oblong. The size is different from 2 to 7 cm. The flowers are small, white color. The fruits are up to one centimeter in diameter. Berries on the plant stay 3-4 months. Berry juice is poisonous. Pepper nightshade has several varieties that differ in leaf color and flower color.
In European countries it is called "Jerusalem Cherry", in our country it is known as "Winter Cherry".
Pepper solyanum is very similar to pseudo-pepper solyanum. Pepper differs only in a miniature size, there is practically no stiffness of the stem and there is a gray edge, the size of the fruit is smaller.
Nightshade care (video)
When breeding some indoor plants, you can get poisonous and toxic fruits. They may remind edible berry similar to cherries, mulberries, black currants. This can be especially dangerous for children.
ARUM
People call it bovine tongue, snake flower, starch root. Produces green berries that turn red when ripe. They have a sweet taste.
Warning.
The plant is poisonous. In no case should you chew berries and leaves. In case of poisoning, there may be an upset stomach, burning in the mouth and throat, and vomiting. At a high dose, drowsiness may occur.
AUCUBA
growing on open places shrub plant. The berries are bright red.
Warning.
Aucuba berries are forbidden to eat, as they are very poisonous. If ingested, poisoning can manifest itself in the form of indigestion, irritation of the oral cavity.
EVERSKLET
Rooting spindle tree (Evonymus radicans). Evergreen creeping plant. It has small oval leaves. Sometimes used as a hedge. The berries are orange or red in color and contain several grains.
Warning.
The berries are extremely poisonous. When poisoning, the following symptoms appear - vomiting, headache. In severe cases, loss of consciousness is possible.
PRIVET
Tall shrub plant. Mainly used as a hedge. The plant may have shiny berries collected in clusters.
Warning.
Chewing leaves and berries is prohibited due to their toxicity. In case of poisoning, there is a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, later there may be severe vomiting with diarrhea.
BRYONIA (WHITE GRAPE, FIRE GRASS, DIEVIL TURNIP)
beautiful climbing plant with flowers. The berry is red, looks like a cherry. There are grains inside.
Warning.
Outwardly, the fruit of this plant resembles a turnip. Poisoning causes indigestion. Sharp abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea.
DAPHNE (WOLF BOW, FOREST LAUREL)
When flowering, the plant produces flowers of white, red, yellow color. Berries are bright red or blue-violet.
Warning.
The berries of this plant should not be consumed, as they can cause severe poisoning. When this fruit is ingested, diarrhea appears, sometimes even bloody. There is a burning sensation in the mouth and throat. It becomes difficult to swallow. The plant itself is also poisonous, and on contact with it, redness and even blisters may appear on the skin.
WILD GRAPES
Climbing ornamental shrub plant. It may have small rounded black berries that are collected in clusters. They have a sour taste.
Warning.
10 berries will be enough to cause poisoning. There is nausea, vomiting, severe pain in the abdomen. General weakness.
DROK
Bushy plant of various sizes. The flowers are yellow in color. After flowering, siliculose fruits appear, which ripen by the end of summer. The pods inside are initially brown in color, then turn black.
Warning.
Flowers and berries should not be eaten due to their toxicity. Poisoning can be manifested by dizziness, vomiting, abdominal pain.
DURMAN (DEVIL WEED, DREAM PLANT, MAGIC WEED)
The berries are a spiny capsule containing seeds about 2–3 mm in diameter. The grains are black in color, outwardly similar to beans.
Warning.
The plant is toxic, so the grains and leaves of this plant should not be chewed.
castor bean
An annual plant. It has lobed leaves. The berry looks like a prickly capsule, inside of which there are seeds with black veins, having an oval shape.
Warning.
Poisonous substances are inside the seed. Poisoning occurs when chewing berries. Symptoms are manifested in the form of severe pain in the abdomen, vomiting with diarrhea. Can throw in a cold sweat.
CORPARIA MYRTOLISTNAYA (PROVENCAL SUMAC)
Bushy plant. After flowering, it produces small fruits of a dark red color that ripen in summer. This plant is used as an ornamental.
Warning.
Deadly dangerous! Outwardly, the berry of the myrtle leaf corparia looks like a mulberry, for which people take them, and can eat a certain amount. After a short time, headaches, severe vomiting, skin turn pale. If not provided in a timely manner medical care, convulsions may begin.
MISTLE
Warning.
Berries should never be consumed, as they are poisonous. In case of poisoning, vomiting appears with bloody diarrhea, heart failure. In severe cases, there may be paralysis.
HOSTROLIST
Small shrub plant. The leaves of this plant are shiny, green, prickly. Produces red-coral berries.
Warning.
Berries are toxic. In case of poisoning, severe diarrhea appears, which can dehydrate the body. May be accompanied by vomiting.
BITTER-SWEET nightshade (WILD LIQORICE, WILD GRAPE, Bittersweet Nightshade, Black nightshade)
The flower has a purple-yellow color, shaped like a star. This slightly climbing plant mainly grows near water bodies. In the autumn-winter period, the berries turn red. They taste sweet at first and then bitter.
Warning.
Berries are toxic. In case of poisoning, vomiting, sharp pains in the abdomen, breathing is difficult.
IVY ORDINARY (HEDERA CURLING)
Common ivy (Hedera helix), the second name of the curly heder. Bush with numerous climbing shoots, which are attached to the support with the help of aerial roots. The leaves are leathery, palmately lobed, dark green in color. It begins to bloom quite late, at the age of 10-12 years. When flowering produces inconspicuous, small flowers.
Warning.
The whole plant is poisonous, but the berries are especially dangerous.
Grows as a tree or shrub. Produces bright red berries.
Warning.
Berries are highly toxic. In case of poisoning, severe pains in the abdomen appear, vomiting opens. The person is acting excited. The heartbeat quickens.
Important! Flowers in the house create comfort, and of course you should not refuse them, just follow the safety rules. When buying, check its features. Adults and children need to be explained which plant to be careful with.
For cats, a special grass is grown, juicy and tasty, so that they do not encroach on other plants. And from small children, to whom it is impossible to explain all the danger, put poisonous indoor plants away until the baby grows up and begins to understand. If any part is swallowed poisonous plant immediately call an ambulance, no need to hope for "maybe".
If the juice of a poisonous plant comes into contact with the skin, immediately wash the area with soapy water. On the mucous membrane of the eyes or nose - rinse with water for 7-10 minutes. If swallowed, immediately gastric lavage and take activated charcoal as directed. Then see a doctor. In case of poisoning with the poison of indoor plants, it is absolutely impossible to use milk, so as not to provoke deterioration, many toxins are fat-soluble.
Safe houseplants Without wanting to take risks, grow safe houseplants that will decorate the house and do not pose any danger: uzambar violets, orchids, hibiscus, gloxinia, saintpaulia, plants of the Gesneriaceae family.
(Solanum) is a shrub from the nightshade family, the genus of which includes about 1700 species. The homeland of nightshade is considered to be South American countries with a tropical climate. In the wild you can find annuals and perennials. herbaceous plants in the form of shrubs and trees, the stems of which can creep or stand upright, and the fruits are mostly poisonous. Among the solanaceous there are edible species such as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant.
A small part of the nightshade representatives is suitable for cultivation at home - the most common are bordered, peppery and dark brown nightshade, the fruits of which are compared with small tomatoes, cherries or Mexican peppers. These Latin American machos are able to delight their owners with a decorative look. all year round. However, for this you need to know some tricks for caring for this plant.
Indoor nightshade is popularly called winter cherry or coral bush. Quite often in home breeding you can find pepper and false nightshade. They differ from each other, although only slightly. The main difference lies in the shoots of the bush. False-transverse nightshade - the owner of smooth hairless shoots and leaves, and in pepper - they are covered with a light gray fluff. They differ in their properties as well.
Pepper nightshade fruits are used in folk medicine for the treatment of sore throats and wound healing, and the false-pepper representative is a poisonous killer.
Therefore, if the plant adorns the interior of the room, it should be located at a considerable distance from the floor so that children's hands do not get to the delicious berries.
Nightshade reaches a height of half a meter, is very decorative and often becomes a decoration on New Year's holidays, when a fluffy green bush is strewn with bright multi-colored berries, hence the name - winter cherry. Small berries appear after flowering and, as they ripen, change color from green to rich burgundy. At the same time, on one bush, the ripening of fruits is uneven, therefore, cherries, tomatoes or peppers of various shades, which increases the decorativeness of the plant.
It should be remembered that decorative nightshade is a plant from the tropics, so the conditions of detention should be as close to natural as possible. The plant requires constant spraying and maintaining the optimum temperature, which is lowered for the winter.
Also, the flower is quite photophilous, but categorically does not tolerate direct sunlight.
If the flower does not like something, then it will notify about it:
- dropping leaves, which means that the plant is experiencing a lack of light
- poor flowering and small fruits - about insufficient heat
- twisting leaves - about an excess of sunlight
- drooping sluggish leaves - about poor watering and a hot place
- shriveled berries - about the lack of moisture in the soil
- dull leaves - about the lack of food
The humidity level should always be high and not fall below 60%.
Reproduction of a houseplant can be carried out by seeds and:
- When planting seeds, leafy soil is most suitable, on the surface of which the seed is laid out at a distance of 2 cm from each other and sprinkled with sand. The container is placed in a warm place for germination, creating greenhouse conditions with the help of a film shelter. Within 10 days, the seeds will sprout. Borings in the first stages grow very intensively and therefore they are needed, and this procedure is carried out twice. This is necessary to give the future bush a compact spherical shape. After the second pick, the plant can be planted in the ground.
- The propagation process using cuttings is a faster process. Cut branches are used as cuttings. It is easiest to root cuttings in a sand-peat mixture, and when a sufficient number of roots are formed, transplant the plant into suitable soil. With proper care, flowering and fruiting is possible in young flowers.
The development of nightshade and the size of its berries depend on the method of reproduction. When propagated by seeds, the plant grows longer, but stronger and actively bears fruit. When cuttings, nightshade takes time to adapt and the fruits of the first are small, and flowering is scarce.
The optimal soil for nightshade is a mixture of peat and clay soil in a ratio of 1: 3 with the addition of a small amount of sand. At the bottom of the landing tank, it is imperative to place expanded clay or crushed stone drainage; small brick fragments are also suitable.
Conventionally, care for decorative nightshade can be divided into three stages:
- Spring - the stage of planting and transplanting plants.
- Summer - the period of vegetation and flowering.
- Autumn-winter - the time of fruiting and subsequent dormancy.
The basic principles of care are to provide the necessary conditions:
- Lighting. To achieve a bright decorative flower is possible only by providing bright, but diffused light, which is necessary for the plant throughout the year. For this, the east and west sides of the room are well suited. The south side will be very useful in winter. If there is not enough light, then the development of nightshade will be weak, and flowering and fruiting will be poor.
- Humidity and temperature regime. The optimum indoor temperature for the full development of the plant is considered to be 18-25 degrees in spring and summer, and in winter it should be reduced to 12-15 degrees. Otherwise, the tropical friend will drop all the berries and leaves. You should also worry about protecting the nightshade from drafts. Humidity should always be kept high. To ensure this condition, the flower is systematically sprayed. It would be useful to place the flowerpot with the plant in a shallow dish with moistened rocky material so that there is no contact with water. With increased dryness of the air, fruiting occurs later and it is weaker.
- . In the spring-summer period, when the plant develops intensively and blooms, it should be watered often and plentifully. Irrigation is carried out immediately after the topsoil dries up, which occurs quickly, as the nightshade sweats intensively, evaporating moisture through the foliage. In winter, watering should be reduced.
- . For fruiting, nightshade needs a lot of strength, which can provide top dressing. You can use complex liquid fertilizer for house flowers that bloom. It should be applied during the growing season and during the formation of fruits. Top dressing is carried out once every two weeks, and when the fruits are already set, that is, in winter, the interval between top dressing should be reduced to once a month, using half the fertilizer rate.
- . Nightshade pruning is carried out annually. At the end of winter or at the beginning of spring, all branches of the shrub are shortened by a third. This procedure is usually performed after the full ripening of the fruit and when the leaves turn yellow. And in the fall, it is recommended to pinch the plant, but only those shoots where there are no buds and fruit ovaries. This will provide better bushiness.
- . After trimming ornamental shrub need to be transplanted into an updated and saturated soil with microelements. In this case, the pot should be slightly larger than before. But in some cases, a transplant may not be required, because the nightshade flower quickly loses its decorative effect and often it is easier to grow a new plant.
Although the nightshade plant is unpretentious, some difficulties in its maintenance still exist:
- Poor fruiting or lack thereof. This results in insufficient pollination during the flowering period. If the plant is not taken out into the open air, then it is recommended to pollinate it artificially. For these purposes, use a soft brush, through which pollen should be transferred from one flower to another. To consolidate the effect, the procedure is carried out several times.
- Nightshade sheds leaves and berries. The cause may be drafts, a sharp temperature drop or heat. To eliminate these troubles, you just need to find a more suitable place for nightshade.
- Pests. Insects can also cause inconvenience to the plant: whiteflies, and spider mites. At risk are those plants that are kept in dry air conditions. When the first signs of an insect attack are found, the plant should be treated with appropriate chemicals or folk remedies should be used (if the lesion is not severe).
Some varieties of nightshade are poisonous. Even a small concentration toxic substances contained in fruits can lead to poisoning. Usually this is expressed in an upset stomach, but at high concentrations they can cause intoxication of the whole body, which may require the intervention of doctors.
Along with this, nightshade also has medicinal properties and can act as a home doctor. The fruits and leaves of the plant are used for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, because they contain vitamins, carotenoids, alkaloids, pectins and saponic acids. These substances effectively fight bronchitis, tonsillitis and whooping cough, and are also able to heal wounds well. In addition, infusions prepared from nightshade have an anthelmintic and diuretic effect.
However, due to the toxicity of the plant, nightshade medicines should be used very carefully, after consulting with a specialist.
Flower Nightshade is fairly easy to grow at home. An unpretentious and ornamental plant will require a little effort and adherence to simple rules. And due to its decorative effect, nightshade is able to decorate and diversify any interior and give a festive mood. The flower will gratefully respond to care with flowering and fruiting, giving the plant originality. And the flower will be able to cure domestic inhabitants from unpleasant diseases. However, you should keep the plant away from babies to avoid unpleasant consequences.
More information can be found in the video:
Nightshade or solyanum is a beautiful tree that was brought to Russia from South America. This neat plant is sure to bring a peculiar zest to any interior.
Initially, it is worth focusing on the fact that beautiful and bright nightshade berries are poisonous. Therefore, such a flower should not be planted in a house where children live, as this can be dangerous for their lives.
Behind which is carried out correctly, it has abundant bright green foliage, white flowers, as well as berries that begin to blush. This is due to its long and abundant flowering, with proper care, Certainly.
During the warm season indoor flower nightshade will feel great in the fresh air, such as a balcony or loggia. Humid air, bright sunlight will only benefit him.
Care which includes not only watering and creating optimal humidity, but also regular top dressing, blooms and bears fruit, without ceasing, the entire active period of growth. Without making necessary fertilizers the flower will quickly weaken and may lose its decorative look. Therefore, the plant is fed once a week with liquid fertilizers.
Even such a flower as nightshade requires certain living conditions. Home care for him must necessarily include the correct location with sufficient lighting, as well as timely pruning of the plant.
Given indoor plant looks very decorative and elegant. behind which is carried out properly, grows very quickly. Therefore, in order for the tree to always look miniature and neat, it is necessary to periodically trim the crown and side shoots, thus forming correct form. You can start pruning when the plant reaches a height of 30 centimeters.
Nightshade reproduces well both by seeds and by dividing the bush. Sowing, transplanting, as well as reproduction is performed in the spring. Seeds begin to be sown in March, the soil must be very moist. And to avoid stagnant water, which can harm young nightshades, it is worth providing good drainage.
Despite the fact that the flower grows in room conditions, it needs a dormant period. It starts from October and continues until March. At this time, it is desirable for the plant to provide cooler air, reduce watering, but ensure that the humidity is still high, especially if the apartment is too hot and stuffy. Feeding should also be reduced to once a month.
Thus, nightshade, which is cared for at home, taking into account all the subtleties of the content, constantly blooms, bears fruit during the active period of growth and pleases with its unusual and some kind of wild beauty.
Helpful advice
Nightshade is considered annual plant, That's why experienced growers it is strongly recommended to trim it together with a bush transplant. Then the plant is updated and continues to delight you with its decorative appearance.
