Hi everyone! I hope you are not tired of berries yet because I have one more plant to show you from flowers to berries. Bittersweet Nightshade, (Solanum dulcamara).
This vine is considered to be a stubborn weed here in the U.S. because it climbs onto fences, trees and bushes. It is a member of the Nightshade family and poisonous to people, pets and livestock, but different from the Deadly Nightshade plant.
The unique, small purple flowers begin to bloom in mid May. The center of the flower is bright yellow and cone shaped.
The flowers turn into small, egg-shaped green berries, approximately 1/4 inch.
Next, the berries turn yellow, then orange and they are ripe when they turn red. Bittersweet Nightshade berries are juicy and has been said that they taste bitter sweet, hence their name. There are approximately 30 seeds in each ripe berry. The birds love to eat them in autumn, so you can see how these plants get dispersed easily.
There is some interesting folklore about Bittersweet Nightshade. It was used as a remedy for Psoriasis and other skin problems. When mixed with other herbs and small doses were given to take orally, it acted as a diuretic or a purgative. In other words, it cleaned you out.
Farmers used this plant to protect their homes, family and livestock.
Want to help someone with a broken heart? Dried leaves and berries were made into sachets and placed under their pillow for that.
Thanks for stopping by!
All photos are my own.
Information Source: bbg.org, kingcounty.gov
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