# Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade (*circaea canadensis*) The Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade has broad, heart-shaped leaves that kids can easily spot in the forest! Its delicate white flowers bloom in the spring and are a favorite among tiny insects. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Moist, shady areas in forests and along stream banks. - **Also known as:** Broadleaf Nightshade, Canadian Enchanter's Nightshade, Enchanter's Nightshade ![Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Circaea_canadensis_-_Enchanters_Nightshade.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Circaea_canadensis_-_Enchanters_Nightshade.jpg) ## Appearance The Broadleaf Enchanter'S Nightshade has delicate white to pinkish-white flowers with two deeply notched petals, making them appear heart-shaped. Its slender stems bear broad, oval leaves with toothed edges, growing in opposite pairs. The tiny blooms are very distinctive. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Myrtales - **Family:** Onagraceae - **Genus:** Circaea ## Interesting facts - Despite its name, it's not a true nightshade and is non-toxic! - Each tiny flower has only two petals, making it look very unique! - Its name comes from the Greek sorceress Circe, famous for magic! - The tiny hook-covered seeds are expert hitchhikers on animal fur! ## Special abilities - **Rhizome Raider:** Broadleaf Enchanter'S Nightshade can grow underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread and form dense colonies. - **Seed Hitchhiker:** Broadleaf Enchanter'S Nightshade has tiny, burr-like fruits that cling to animal fur, helping it travel to new places. - **Shade Dweller:** Broadleaf Enchanter'S Nightshade can thrive in deep shade, an adaptation that helps it survive where many others cannot. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-75 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Depends on:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — disperses burr-like seeds on fur - **Eaten by:** Grey Field Slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — grazes on leaves and stems ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or picking wild plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade? 30-75 cm ### How big are the flowers on Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade? 0.2-0.3 cm ### When does Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade bloom? Summer ### Is Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade edible? No ### Is Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade toxic? None ### What is Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooklyn-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Clinton Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clinton-hill-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Spy Pond Field](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/spy-pond-field) — Massachusetts, US · Park - [Bernheim Forest and Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bernheim-forest-and-arboretum) — Kentucky, US · Botanical Garden - [Harvard Shaker Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harvard-shaker-village-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [ME's Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mes-zoo) — Indiana, US · Zoo [View all places to see Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/broadleaf-enchanters-nightshade) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Broadleaf Enchanter's Nightshade Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broadleaf-enchanters-nightshade)