Ontario Weeds: Climbing nightshade

Table of Contents

1. Name
2. Other Names
3. Family
4. General Description
   • Photos and Pictures
5. Stems and Roots
6. Flowers and Fruit
7. Habitat
8. Similar Species
9. Caution
10. Related Links

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.

| Top of Page |

Photos and Pictures

Climbing nightshade. A. flowering stem
B. stem with green and red berries.

| Top of Page |

Stems & Roots: Stems partially woody, weak, erect or vine-like and climbing over fence lines and other vegetation, 1-3m (3-10ft) long, usually dying back close to the ground each year but in milder areas or if protected by snow becoming thick and woody in the lower part, hairless or short-hairy, with lengthwise-shredding, light gray bark; 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.

Habitat: Climbing nightshade occurs throughout Ontario in open woods, edges of fields, fence lines, roadsides, and occasionally in hedges and gardens.

Similar Species: 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.

| Top of Page |

Related Links

... on general Weed topics
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control

| Back to the Ontario Weeds Gallery | Top of Page |