# quito-orange (*Solanum quitoense*)

The quito-orange is a special fruit that grows on spiky plants. It has a bright orange color and a unique taste that is a little sweet and a little tangy. Kids love to explore its fun shape!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mountain regions
- **Also known as:** Nanche

![quito-orange](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lulo.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Picture taken by Fibonacci ., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lulo.jpg)

## Appearance

The quito-orange is a striking plant with large, velvety green leaves often veined with deep purple. Its stems are thick and covered in purple fuzz, sometimes bearing small thorns. It produces small, white to pale purple star-shaped flowers that develop into round, fuzzy orange-yellow fruits.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Solanales
- **Family:** Solanaceae
- **Genus:** Solanum

## Interesting facts

- Did you know the fuzzy skin of a quito-orange fruit must be rubbed off before you can eat it?
- In some places, people call this yummy fruit 'Naranjilla', which means 'little orange' in Spanish!
- Its tangy, citrus-like flavor makes it a super popular ingredient for drinks in South America!
- This plant is a relative of tomatoes and potatoes, even though its fruit looks so different!

## Special abilities

- **Fuzzy Armor:** Quito-orange has velvety fuzz on its leaves and stems that helps protect it from pests and excessive sunlight.
- **Tangy Shield:** Its unripe fruit contains acidic compounds that deter animals from eating it before the seeds are ready.
- **Buzz Magnet:** The quito-orange has special flowers that attract specific bees, which buzz-pollinate them for fruit production.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-300 cm
- **Spread:** 100-200 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Year-round
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** [bumblebee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bumblebee) (*Bombus atratus*) — Performs buzz pollination on flowers.
- **Symbiotic with:** humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Cultivates for edible fruit.
- **Eaten by:** great fruit-eating bat (*Artibeus lituratus*) — Eats fruit, dispersing seeds.

## Traits

- [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.
- [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals.
- [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.
- [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones.
- [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash fruits before eating them to stay safe and healthy.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify quito-orange?

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 quito-orange?

100-300 cm

### How wide does quito-orange spread?

100-200 cm

### How big are the flowers on quito-orange?

1-2 cm

### When does quito-orange bloom?

Year-round

### Is quito-orange edible?

Yes

### Is quito-orange toxic?

Mild

### What is quito-orange's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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*)

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Source: [Quito-orange: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quito-orange)