Eastern black nightshade

Eastern black nightshade seedling

Eastern black nightshade seedling

Scientific Name Solanum ptycanthum Dun.
Other Names Garden nightshade, deadly nightshade, and poison berry.
Life Cycle summer annual
General Description Erect, branched plant with irregularly toothed leaves.
Seedlings Hypocotyls are hairy, green, but often maroon. Cotyledons are ovate, smooth, green on upper surface and maroon on the lower surface.
True Leaves and Stem Leaves are alternate, wavy, and triangular to oval in shape. Margins are entire or irregularly toothed. Leaves are usually riddled with holes from flea beetles feeding and have a purple tint to the underside of the leaf. Stems and leaves are covered in soft short hairs.
Roots Taproot.
Flower and Fruit Flowers consist of five fused petals arranged in a star shaped umbrella. Clusters of 5-7 flowers that are white or purple-tinged/striped are common. Fruits are small, glossy, black berries (10mm diameter). Approximately 50-100 seeds may be found in each berry.
Other Information All vegetative parts of the plant are poisonous.
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