# silverleaf nightshade (*Solanum elaeagnifolium*) Silverleaf nightshade is a plant with beautiful silver leaves and purple flowers. It grows in sunny places and can be found in fields and gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Snaps:** 31 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![silverleaf nightshade](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%CE%A3%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%8C%CE%BD_%CF%84%CE%BF_%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%86%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%BD_%28Solanum_elaeagnifolium%29%252C_%CE%95%CF%80%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%80%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF%252C_%CE%98%CE%B5%CF%83%CF%83%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B7%252C_05-06-2021.jpg&width=800) Photo: PLAKLE, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%CE%A3%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%8C%CE%BD_%CF%84%CE%BF_%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%86%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%BD_%28Solanum_elaeagnifolium%29%252C_%CE%95%CF%80%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%80%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF%252C_%CE%98%CE%B5%CF%83%CF%83%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B7%252C_05-06-2021.jpg) ## Appearance The silverleaf nightshade has striking star-shaped flowers, usually purple or blue, sometimes white, with bright yellow centers. Its leaves are covered in dense, silvery-white hairs, giving them a distinct metallic sheen. This plant also features sharp, yellow-orange prickles along its stems and leaf veins. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Solanaceae - **Genus:** Solanum ## Interesting facts - Even tiny pieces of its roots can grow into a whole new plant, making it a super persistent survivor! - Its silvery leaves act like tiny mirrors, reflecting sunlight to help it stay cool and conserve water. - Silverleaf nightshade can produce up to 2,000 seeds from just one plant in a single season! - Wow! The berries of silverleaf nightshade change from green to yellow, looking like tiny, poisonous tomatoes! ## Special abilities - **Prickly Protector:** Silverleaf nightshade has sharp prickles that deter hungry animals from munching on its leaves and stems. - **Deep-Rooted Survivor:** This plant has a very deep taproot that helps it find water and nutrients even in dry, harsh environments. - **Seed Spreader:** Its berry-like fruits are filled with many seeds, helping it spread quickly and grow in new places. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 45-120 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to early fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** Texas potato beetle (*Leptinotarsa texana*) — Larvae and adults feed on the leaves of this plant. - **Eats:** Sweet potato whitefly (*Bemisia tabaci*) — Sucks sap from leaves, potentially transmitting plant viruses. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [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. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Don't touch or eat plants you find outside unless a grown-up says it's safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify silverleaf 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 silverleaf nightshade? 30-90 cm ### How wide does silverleaf nightshade spread? 45-120 cm ### How big are the flowers on silverleaf nightshade? 2-3 cm ### When does silverleaf nightshade bloom? Summer to early fall ### Is silverleaf nightshade edible? No ### Is silverleaf nightshade toxic? High ### What is silverleaf nightshade's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Facilities](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/childs-irving-hydroelectric-facilities) — Arizona, US · Historic District - [Darlington Agency](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/darlington-agency) — Oklahoma, US · Historic District - [Fort Brown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-brown) — US · Historic Site - [Mesilla Plaza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesilla-plaza) — New Mexico, US · Park - [Old Town Albuquerque](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-town-albuquerque) — New Mexico, US · Neighborhood - [Quartz Mountain Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quartz-mountain-nature-park) — Oklahoma, US · Park [View all places to see silverleaf nightshade](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/silverleaf-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: [Silverleaf Nightshade: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silverleaf-nightshade)