Scientific Name: Solanum dulcamara
Common Name: deadly nightshade, European bittersweet
Family Name: Solanaceae
Origin: Europe, South Asia / India
Hardiness Zone: Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Plant Type: Vine - deciduous, Weed (horticultural)
Mature Size: 2 - 3m x 1.0 - 1.5m (height x width)
Habit: Spreading
Form: Climbing
Texture: Medium - fine
Landscape Uses: Attract birds, Perennial border, Summer interest
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media:
Leaves: Simple, Alternate, Soft flexible, Glabrous, Deltoid, Ovate, Pinnately lobed, Sinuate
Flowers: Cyme, Yellow, Blue, Violet, Mar-Apr-May-Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep
Fruit: Berry (true), Red, Jul-Aug-Sep-Oct-Nov
Key ID Features:
Climbing weed; leaves alternate, ternate, leaflets ovate-deltoid, most blades 5-10cm long x 4-9cm wide, base hastate, smell like peanut butter when crushed; cyme of 3-20 drooping florets 1-1.5cm wide, 5 fused purple (rarely white or blue) petals that curl back at tips, stamens yellow; berries ovate, 7-9mm long x 6-7mm wide, in pendulous clusters, bright red when ripe.