# Red Buffalo-Bur (*solanum sisymbriifolium*) The Red Buffalo-Bur (Solanum sisymbriifolium), also known as sticky nightshade or litchi tomato, is an eye-catching yet formidable member of the nightshade family. Native to South America, this resilient, heavily armed plant has spread to many temperate and tropical regions worldwide. It is famous for its dense armor of yellow-orange spines covering the stems, leaves, and even the flower calyxes, making it virtually untouched by grazing animals. Highly valued in sustainable agriculture, the Red Buffalo-Bur serves as an exceptional trap crop for potato cyst nematodes. It produces lovely star-shaped white or light blue flowers followed by bright red, edible berries nestled inside spiny husks that peel back when ripe. Gardeners and farmers appreciate it both for its unique aesthetic and its ecological utility in pest management. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Found in disturbed soils, agricultural fields, waste areas, and roadsides. ![Red Buffalo-Bur](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/27490957/medium.jpeg) Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子, CC0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/27490957) ## Appearance This erect shrub typically grows between 50 to 150 centimeters tall, characterized by deeply lobed, bright green leaves covered in sticky glandular hairs and sharp yellow spines. Its five-petaled flowers are white to pale blue with prominent bright yellow anthers clustered in the center. The most distinct feature is the fruit: a spherical, glossy red berry about 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter, initially enclosed in a densely spiny green calyx (husk) that splits open and peels back as the fruit matures, resembling a tiny, prickly red crown. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Solanaceae - **Genus:** Solanum ## Interesting facts - Despite being related to highly toxic nightshades, its ripe red fruits are edible and often used in pies, jams, or eaten fresh. - It is so thoroughly armed with spines that even goats and other hardy grazing animals generally avoid eating it. - The spiny husk completely encloses the developing berry, only peeling back to reveal the bright red fruit when it is fully ripe and ready to be dispersed. ## Special abilities - **Nematode Decoy:** The plant's roots release chemicals that stimulate potato cyst nematode eggs to hatch, but the larvae cannot successfully feed or reproduce on its roots, effectively starving the pest population. - **Thorned Armor:** Nearly every surface of the plant, including the leaf veins and fruit husks, is densely covered in sharp, stiff prickles that deter large herbivores from feeding. - **Sticky Glandular Defense:** Foliage is covered in sticky, glandular trichomes that trap small insect pests and discourage insects from climbing or laying eggs on the leaves. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-150 cm - **Lifespan:** 1-2 years - **Incubation:** 7-21 days ## Diet & Feeding As a photoautotrophic plant, it produces its own food through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, aided by soil nutrients absorbed through its root system. - **Primary Foods:** Sunlight, Carbon Dioxide, Water, Soil Minerals ## Ecological connections - **Host plant:** Potato Cyst Nematode (*Globodera rostochiensis*) — Acts as a dead-end host for the potato cyst nematode, preventing them from reproducing. - **Mutualism:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Attracts bumblebees to pollinate its showy, pollen-rich flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Colorado Potato Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/colorado-potato-beetle) (*Leptinotarsa decemlineata*) — Serves as an alternative host plant and food source for potato beetles. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red Buffalo-Bur? 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 long is Red Buffalo-Bur? 50-150 cm ### How long does Red Buffalo-Bur live? 1-2 years ### What does Red Buffalo-Bur eat? As a photoautotrophic plant, it produces its own food through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, aided by soil nutrients absorbed through its root system. ### Where is Red Buffalo-Bur usually found? Found in disturbed soils, agricultural fields, waste areas, and roadsides. ### How long do Red Buffalo-Bur eggs take to hatch? 7-21 days ## Where to spot - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Africatown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/africatown) — Alabama, US · Neighborhood - [Oakleigh Garden Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/oakleigh-garden-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District [View all places to see Red Buffalo-Bur](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-buffalo-bur) ## 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: [Red Buffalo-Bur: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-buffalo-bur)