Black nightshade has been in the news recently, after its berries turned up masquerading as peas in packs of frozen vegetables.
Leaves, ripening fruit, and a flower of black nightshade, Solanum nigrum.
Black nightshade is regularly confused with deadly nightshade. Indeed, the picture in the above news story appears to be of deadly nightshade, although it is labelled black nightshade. Fortunately, deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) is quite rare in New Zealand, only occurring in the wild in Canterbury. Black nightshade is thought to be no where near as toxic as deadly nightshade. Nevertheless, I suspect no-one would recommend it for human consumption.
Black nightshade belongs to the genus Solanum, which also includes tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)!
Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) is easily confused with small-flowered nightshade (Solanum nodiflorum, previously known in New Zealand as Solanum americanum). The former is introduced to New Zealand; the latter is thought to be native. They differ in chromosome numbers, but appear very similar externally. Barry Sneddon, one of the Botany Collection Managers, and I have been learning how to distinguish them.
Flora of New Zealand Volume 4 suggests that in:
Solanum nodiflorum (previously known in New Zealand as Solanum americanum)
* the calyx is strongly reflexed at fruiting.
* the flowers/fruit in a particular group all branch from more or less the same point.
* stone cells are evident in the fruit.
Solanum nigrum
* the calyx is not or only partially reflexed at fruiting.
* some flowers/fruit in a particular group clearly branch below the others.
* stone cells are usually absent in the fruit.
Left, unripe fruit of Solanum nodiflorum; right, ripening fruit of Solanum nigrum. The calyx of S. nodiflorum is strongly reflexed (the green triangles between each fruit and its stalk point away from the fruit). Stone cells are also just evident in the S. nodiflorum fruit, as white speckles.
As indicated by the blue arrows, the fruit (or flowers) of Solanum nodiflorum (left) branch from nearly the same point, while at least some of those of S. nigrum (right) clearly branch below the others.
From this, it appears that the plants in my garden are actually the native Solanum nodiflorum. Which, as a lover of native plants, is a good thing, I suppose. But they still look weedy…
Te Papa has a specimen collected during Captain Cook’s first expedition that has been labelled as Solanum nigrum; however, this would seem to be a mis-identification.
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Black nightshade is thought to be no where near as toxic as deadly nightshade. Nevertheless, I suspect no-one would recommend it for human consumption.
Actually, the toxicity seems to vary between varieties. Leaves of Solanum nigrum and closely related species are eaten as a vegetable in many parts of the world, as are the fruit. The American huckleberry is a variety of S. nigrum or a very closely related species.
Hi Christopher,
Interesting, thanks. Have you ever eaten some yourself? I’ve seen some suggestions that the leaves and unripe fruit are (or can be) toxic, whereas the ripe fruit may be okay. I, for one, am not going to be purposefully eating black nightshade in New Zealand until I’m convinced that the material weedy here is the same as that eaten elsewhere. The taxonomy of Solanum nigrum and its relatives appears to be still evolving (which is a statement that could be levelled at most of the world’s biota, I suppose). For instance, it’s been brought to my attention that the species I referred to above as S. americanum should be called S. nodiflorum (see http://www.springerlink.com/content/gmm700927409465h/). I’d appreciate being directed to any recent taxonomic works on S. nigrum, its segregates, and its relationships to its close allies.
Thanks,
Leon
I found this survey of the culinary uses of Solanum nigrum and related species, which includes a taxonomic overview. It does sound like the berries lose toxicity as they ripen, while the leaves are generally eaten as a pot herb after being boiled to remove any toxicity (in some places, they’re even boiled in more than one change of water).
I believe I have tried eating the ripe berries, but I can’t say as I can remember what they were like. I can say, however, that I aten’t dead.
I did reply the other day, but the interweb seems to have swallowed my answer. Lets have another go, shall we?
Anyway, I found a review (http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/publications/pdf/337.pdf) of Solanum nigrum and relatives’ taxonomy, and their culinary uses. Fruit are eaten ripe or cooked, and leaves are used as a pot herb (so boiled, sometimes with a change of water).
I know I’ve tried eating the berries, but I can’t say as I remember what it tasted like. All I can say is that I aten’t dead.
Looks like Solanum nodiflorum has now been accepted as the correct name for what was previously called Solanum americanum in New Zealand.
Hi Christopher,
Our spam filter doesn’t seem to like you, that’s why your comment didn’t appear. Sorry about that :/
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Hi Christopher,
Many thanks for the information. That’s quite a hefty report so it might take me a while to read it.
Cheers,
Leon
Hi, friends:
S.americanum is named “Yerba o hierba mora” in spanish, It has a wide medicinal use in America and Africa. In Guatemala,leaves is eaten in salad and fruits are eating in food cooked. An medicinal use as topic is in remedy the ache of herpes zooster.
Various communications are contradictory, the saponines are toxics for ones , others said that the people has development tolerance to toxins (as in Guatemala).
Better than, is be careful , that is possible that confuse with other solanum and include domestic solanums (potato (papa) or tomato) may be toxics.
Thanks
Hugo
Thanks Hugo. Leon
I’ve been patiently watching the S. Nigrum grow in my newly restored front garden, hoping it to be cape gooseberry. I’m sticking with Christopher’s advice and pulling it out as soon as I get the chance.
Angela
Apparently it is good for diabetes. I just dug a lot up and my Fijian neighbour told me off saying it was good for diabetes… not sure if that means prevention or if it helps with symptoms.
I have seen this plant appear on Auckland markets being sold as a vegetable, which surprised me a bit given that we think this a poisonous plant. I know I have it in my garden and having recently discovered unother weedy looking plant that is highly nutrious (Amaranth)I googled black night shade and came accross the Te Papa blog. But also many other websites and if can trust those than Solanum nigra seems to be edible compared con-generic species, which are poisonous. If Solanum nigra would be poisonous I guess there must be an awefull lot of poeple in Auckland poisening themselves with this stuff.
Hi Rudi,
Interesting to hear it’s for sale in Auckland. Each to their own.
Solanum nigrum still gets a mention in the recent book “Plants that Poison” http://www.mwpress.co.nz/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=838. “Not any of them [S. nigrum and its close allies] are actually very poisonous, but for common safety it is best to warn children against them…” “The unripe berries are the most toxic, and other parts less so.”
This site might also be of interest: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/poisonous-plants-and-fungi/3/2
Ive noticed that my cattle will eat woody nightshade before any thing else when shifted into a paddock.Is it harmful to them and horses and how do I get rid of it.
Hi Mike,
I’m not sure what you mean by “woody nightshade” – perhaps the climbing/sprawling Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet) or the small tree Solanum mauritianum (woolly nightshade)? The “Common Weeds of New Zealand” book implies that both are or may be toxic to stock. Control methods are available on the Weedbuster’s website: http://weedbusters.co.nz/weed_info/detail.asp?WeedID=94
Hi there,
Fascinating to read some of the info posted here. Here’s another non-medicinal/nutritional use for the berries: I have a fascinating recipe for writing ink using ripe belladonna berries and gum arabic or egg white. I haven’t tried it yet, but I intend to give it a go. I have my doubts about its suitability for use in fountain pens, so I’ll wait until I’ve got a decent goose quill available.
I am so unclear as to weather the pictures above are that of deadly night shade or black night shade??? It goes on and on about black night shade but then says at the top that these are deadly
very confusing for me
i have this plant growing in my garden thought it was random tomato plants so i left them the little purple berries taste like tomato!
i would love to know if i need to get rid of them or eat them??
In BC canada
Melissa, the identity of deadly nightshade refers to the news story linked to, not to the pictures. As gone over in the comments, the fruit are not necessarily poisonous, but wild plants are perhaps best treated with caution.
We have a patch of native bush and have some black nightshade that grows on the margin. We recently had a visitor from South Korea who, as she was walking past..spoke of the black nightshade saying “that is exactly the plant we have growing in South Korea and it is regularly eaten”. Then she picked some very black berries and ate them before we could stop her saying they tasted exactly the same as those in South Korea…(she was also very pregnant). She has since left but this has been worrying us. We did a google search and found that black nightshade is eaten in many asian countries and in Africa. Although it is shunned in Western countries. What do you think about this? We would be interested to hear.
Hi Jacinda,
I suspect your visitor will be okay. She nevertheless seems a bit cavalier. Perhaps she’s an expert with these plants, but if not, we should remember that there are around the world a number of very similar-looking species and forms whose toxicity may vary. I’d err on the side of caution.
Black nightshade and its allies are included in the “Plants that Poison. A New Zealand Guide” book. The book is probably being cautious, but its advice is worth knowing before contemplating eating New Zealand material of this species. It says that the unripe berries are the most toxic part of the plant, and that signs and symptoms can be delayed by 6-12 hours and can include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and even stupor. Its advice is to “Contact the National Poisons Centre [0800 764 766] if more than 3 unripe or 6 ripe berries are eaten, or any symptoms occur”.
Leon
Hi Leon,
Many thanks for that,
Jacinda
Here in NZ, I often eat Black Nightshade leaves raw in salads ( or this weekend, sautéed and added to the filling for some savory puff pastry pinwheels hehe). Initially I was taught this by a friend who is a long- time forager ( and mentioned in one of Andrew Crowe’s foraging books). I was taught one of the simplest ways to differentiate between Black and Deadly Nightshade, is that black Nightshade has white flowers, whereas Deadly Nightshade has purple. I’ve only discovered Deadly Nightshade on two occasions here in NZ, the first being in Thames, the second time I cannot recall clearly. The main caution is to avoid unripe berries, as they have a high solanine content which could make you sick.
Hi Lindsay,
Thanks for your observations. I’m particularly interested in your report of Deadly Nightshade near Thames. I can’t find any official accounts of this species in NZ outside Canterbury. Do you remember where near Thames you saw it, as I will investigate next time I am up there. It would be great to verify your find with a specimen, and then spread the word.
Thanks, Leon
PS. there are other nightshade (or nightshade-like) species in NZ with purple flowers (in addition to the poroporo species too).
I have been eating the ripe black night for years it tasts really good,a Maori friend came to visit so I asked him what are these and he said we used to have them mashed with cream when he was a kid ,I have never tried the leaves love all the feed back all my friends say hey don’t eat that they are shocked when I tell them I been eating them for long time
Hi, interested to read the comments above. Very strange experience today – tried to pull up a particularly vigorous specimen of presumably black nightshade growing in our compost bin. As I pulled I stripped the outer stem, leaving green juice over my hands. Thinking nothing of it, I carried on with my chores. Ten minutes or so later, I came over very peculiar – sweating, dizziness, disorientation, etc. I had to sit down before I fell down. Several hour later symptoms still persist but milder. Is this a coincidence or was it a result of toxicity from the nightshade? Can it enter the body via the skin? Thanks.
By the way, ref one of the earlier comments, Woody Nightshade is an alternative common name for Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) in the UK.
Hi Grant,
Short answer: I don’t know, sorry.
I am not aware of similar reports of black nightshade sap being problematic. And, with my previous weedy garden, I did pull out numerous black nightshade plants without ill effect, but I don’t remember getting the sap on my skin.
However, the sap of some plant species can be poisonous/toxic via skin contact, and ***people do differ in their reactions***.
Although a lot of people report happily consuming black nightshade, it is I think worth pointing out that the NZ Poisons Centre list it amongst their top 10 poisonous plants; for more, see: http://www.poisons.co.nz/fact.php?f=12&c=22
I hope you’re feeling better by now.
Leon
Happy to report that I’ve eaten the ripe purple berries of black nightshade for several years now without ill effect. It’s a common weed on my property in Levin. The larger plants can be hard to pull out and the stem will often slip through the hands, leaving sap/juice and squashed berries on your hands, however I’ve never suffered any ill-effects from this – except a sore lower back from yanking at too many plants to try to up-root them!
Thanks very much for sharing your observations Stewart.
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