This tropic vine or shrub offer petite fragrant bloom and a long bloom time period .
Solanum is the big genus in the nightshade family unit , which admit both eatable such as potatoes , peppers , and eggplant as well as ornamentals with flowers ranging from ashen to lavender and deep purpleness . Many species have a long bloom period during which they produce an almost non - block flush of lilliputian , fragrant blossoms . The vines are perennial and semi - evergreen plant in climates with soft winter and grown as annuals in cold part .
AllSolanumspecies are toxic to human being and pets .
Credit: Edward Gohlich
Where to Plant Solanum
Choose a location with full sun or partial tad and well - drained , electroneutral to alkaline soil .
Plant solanum vines at the alkali of a sturdytrellisand it will quickly throw together toward the sky . It pretties up fences and bring in walls to life story with its flowers and foliage . Many types of solanum are semi - evergreen and will total interest nearly class - round . Solanum support part shade , making it useful in the mottled brightness of a patio . Tie it to a military post of an mandrel or pergola to encourage it to climb where it will allow additional shade below the social structure .
How and When to Plant Solanum
Plant genus Solanum in the spring after all peril of frost has pass . When plant potted baby’s room industrial plant , apprehend a hole about twice the diameter of the pot and about the same depth . Place the plant in the hole and fill in original dirt to the top of the root ball . Gently tamp down down the soil and water it well . Keep it water in the absence seizure of rain until the plant is prove .
Spacing depends on the variety , ranging from as little as 3 feet for short vine to 12 foot for tall vines .
Solanum Care Tips
The plant in these coinage are in the main low - maintenance and easy to get .
Light
Solanum grows best infull sunor light nuance . The sluttish requirement may vary depending on the coinage ; some are understory plants in their native habitat .
Soil and Water
The soil should be moist but well - drained , with apHbetween 7.0 and 8.0 .
irrigate the plant until it is institute . After that , it withstands abbreviated periods of drought ; however , for uninterrupted flowering , it is best to water the plant in ironical spell .
Temperature and Humidity
Solanum are warm - weather plants that are easy damaged by hoarfrost . If you live in a cool climate , take your cues fromtomatoes — the growing time of year of genus Solanum is about the same . As tropic plants , solanum are unremarkably patient of of high humidity .
Fertilizer
Solanum has moderatefertilizerneeds . run it an all - function fertilizer twice during the growing season , once in the outflow as the new increment starts , and again in early to midsummer , is sufficient . Avoid over - fertilizing the plant , which will lead to extravagant vegetative emergence .
Pruning
The chief goal of prune solanum is to tame its size , and there is no hard - and - flying normal on when to lop it . If you grow it as a repeated , dress it in the fall when its growth start to slow up down . instead , you may also rationalise it in the outpouring to make way for newfangled , brisk growth .
Potting and Repotting Solanum
small type of solanum make unspoilt container plants . pick out a pot at least 12 inches in diameter and ensure it has large drainage holes . Fill it with well - draining potting mixture . Keep in mind that container plants postulate more frequent watering and fertilizer than inground plants .
When maturate as an yearly , it wo n’t call for repotting during its single grow season . Otherwise , repotting to a larger container with fresh potting mix will be postulate when the tooth root outgrow the pot .
Pests and Problems
depend on the solanum metal money , you might encounter different pest and disease issues . Potato vine , for example , draw aphid and red spider soupcon . Because solanumin the nightshade family , it is not unusual to find the same pest on the works as on eggplant , namely flea beetles .
How to Propagate Solanum
Solanum seeds are not commonly available from seminal fluid companies . The works can bepropagated from bow cuttingsor by layering . These vegetative multiplication methods will only bring out a Modern flora afterwards in the season , therefore they make the most sense if you live in a tender climate ; they do not work well for the short life cycle of solanum as an yearbook .
To propagate a solanum by layering , pick out a radical that is long enough to easily bow down to the ground . Remove all the leaves and all cover the stem with soil . mildly tamp down the soil and pee it softly . Keep the forget stem evenly moist at all times . After you see new growth go forth from the orbit , wait for more growth to come out before severing the stem from the mother flora with sharp pruning hook . Transplant it into a mountain or to a Modern location in the garden .
Types of Solanum
Potato Vine
One of the most commonly mature ornamental solanum species is climbing nightshade ( Solanum laxum ) , also foretell potato vine — not to be throw withsweet potato vine . With a summit of 20 to 30 foundation and 5 to 6 invertebrate foot in width , this is no vine for low infinite . From summertime to fall , it is cover with white , sweet - sweet flowers . Zone 9 - 11
Paraguay Nightshade
Lycianthes rantonnetii(formerlySolanum rantonnetii)is a tight - grow erect evergreen shrub that pass on 6 to 8 feet in height and width . Paraguay nightshadehas purple fragrant flower with yellow midpoint from fountain to fall . It is also grown as a humble patio tree with a undivided trunk . A popular cultivar is ' Royal Robe ' . zona 9 - 11
Naranjilla
have sex as naranjilla or lulo , Solanum quitoenseis a shrub nativeto Ecuador and Peru . The large velvety leaves have purple hairs and orangish - white-livered spines . The fragrant white flower turn into fuzzy orange - colour edible with a citrus flavor . When farm as an annual , the plant grows about 3 feet magniloquent . In a tender , tropic clime , it reaches 8 feet in stature . geographical zone 10 - 12
Solanum Companion Plants
Castor Bean
Plant acastor beanand then abide back . This is one of the fastest - develop , giant annual in the garden , match only perhaps by giant sunflower . By June 21 , you ’ll have a huge ( it can slay up to 20 feet ) tropic plant feature Bourgogne foliage . Be careful , though . The seeds are extremely toxic . Wait to implant it outdoors after all peril of Robert Lee Frost has passed ; castor attic hate cool weather and wo n’t produce well until temperatures heat up up in summer . geographical zone 9 - 11
Licorice Plant
The elegant , silverylicorice plantis so utile to gear up off colorful flowers and to impart contrast to plantings where you want more than just a mass of green . It ’s especially good in containers , where you may admire it up close and show off its spreading habit to in effect effect . Technically a tropic shrub , licorice plant is usually grown as an yearly in the United States . It does best in full sunlight and well - drained dirt . Zone 9 - 11
Hibiscus
The big , colourful blooms on hibiscus plant contrast nicely with solanum ’s small flowers . If you hold up in a cooler domain , essay plantinghardy hibiscusinstead oftropical hibiscus . flora in full sun and well - drained territory . Zone 9 - 11 for tropic hibiscus ; Zone 4 - 9 for hardy hibiscus
Salvia
There are over700 different speciesofsalvia , so it should n’t be tough to find one that works in your yard . These plants unremarkably have glum purplish or blue blossom , and acquire over 5 feet tall ( depending on the salmagundi ) . flora in full sun and well - drained soil . Zone 3 - 10
Lantana
Whenlantanablooms , it really puts on a show with clusters of flowers that can be purple , red , orange , lily-white , pinkish , or yellow . Lantana can stomach some of the hottest , driest spots in your curtilage , and like genus Solanum , it ’ll also attract pollinator like hummingbirds and bee . Plant in full sun and well - drained soil . Zone 8 - 11
Frequently Asked Questions
Prepare for the vine to climb quickly after planting by placing a trellis nearby or giving it a spot where it can clamber up a fencing or pergola . Attach sturdy cables to a fence or wall to give solanum something to twine around and climb up . softly stoop the radical around a pergola or mandril post to promote climb .
Yes , if your wintertime are too stale for potato vine to survive out of doors , bring the potted flora inside in the capitulation . Place it in a south- or W - present windowpane where it gets mickle of sunshine and water it reasonably .
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Nightshade . ASPCA .
Solanum americanum . North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension .
Ricinus communis . North Carolina State University Extension .
Credit: Eric Roth
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Justin Hancock
