# greenspot nightshade (*Solanum douglasii*) Greenspot nightshade is a small plant with pretty purple flowers and shiny green berries. It grows in sunny places and can be found in gardens and fields. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![greenspot nightshade](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Solanum_douglasii_2004-04-07.jpg&width=800) Photo: Copyright by Curtis Clark, licensed as noted, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solanum_douglasii_2004-04-07.jpg) ## Appearance The greenspot nightshade is a sprawling herbaceous plant with lobed leaves and clusters of small, star-shaped white to pale purple flowers. Its distinctive berries are bright green with tiny white spots when unripe, turning glossy black when ripe. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Solanaceae - **Genus:** Solanum ## Interesting facts - Even its green, unripe berries have tiny white spots, giving it the 'greenspot' name. - It's a cousin to potatoes and tomatoes, but its shiny berries are very poisonous! - Its ripe, black berries look a bit like tiny blueberries, but they are NOT safe to eat! - Some caterpillars, like hornworms, can actually eat its toxic leaves without getting sick! ## Special abilities - **Toxic Shield:** greenspot nightshade has toxic compounds in its leaves and berries that help it defend against most hungry animals. - **Berry Blaster:** greenspot nightshade can produce hundreds of small berries, ensuring its seeds are spread widely by birds. - **Adaptability Ace:** greenspot nightshade can thrive in many disturbed habitats, allowing it to quickly colonize new areas. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Eats:** Tobacco hornworm (*Manduca sexta*) — larvae feed on the leaves as a host plant - **Eaten by:** [Northern Mockingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-mockingbird) (*Mimus polyglottos*) — consumes berries, aiding in seed dispersal ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not eat the berries, as they can make you feel sick. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify greenspot 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 greenspot nightshade? 10-100 cm ### How wide does greenspot nightshade spread? 30-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on greenspot nightshade? 1-2 cm ### When does greenspot nightshade bloom? Spring to fall ### Is greenspot nightshade edible? No ### Is greenspot nightshade toxic? High ### What is greenspot nightshade's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Boyce Thompson Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boyce-thompson-arboretum) — Arizona, US · Botanical Garden ## 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: [Greenspot Nightshade: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greenspot-nightshade)