Climbing nightshade
Scientific Name: Climbing nightshade, Solanum dulcamara L.,
Other Names: morelle douce-amère, Bitter nightshade, Bittersweet, Climbing bittersweet, Deadly nightshade, douce-amère
Family: Nightshade or Potato Family (Solanaceae)
General Description: Perennial, reproducing by seed and by spreading underground rhizomes.
Habitat: Climbing nightshade occurs throughout Ontario in open woods, edges of fields, fence lines, roadsides, and occasionally in hedges and gardens.
Stems & Roots
- Stems partially woody, weak, erect or vine-like and climbing over fence lines and other vegetation, 1-3m (3-10ft) long.
- Leaves alternate (1 per node), simple or lobed with 1 or more lobes near the base giving them a mitten-like appearance.
Flowers & Fruit
- Flowers in much-branched clusters; each flower star-shaped with a 5-pointed light blue to violet or rarely white corolla, in the centre of which is a slender pyramid of 5 united bright yellow stamens).
- Flowers followed by oblong green berries 8-12mm (1/3-½in.) long which turn bright red and juicy when ripe.
- Flowers in June and July; berries ripening in August and often remaining on the stems into the winter.
- Stems, roots, leaves and sometimes the green berries have a disagreeable civet-cat odour when bruised.
Often Confused With/Distinguishing Characteristics
It is distinguished by its vine habit, its shredding light gray back on older stems, its usually mitten-shaped flowers, its juicy red berries, and its strong disagreeable odour.
Caution: Stems and leaves are poisonous to livestock. The attractive, bright red berries have a bitter and sweet flavour, and, although some people can apparently eat them without harm, children have reputedly been poisoned by eating them.
