Solyanum is a beautiful ornamental plant. It attracts not so much with flowers as with bright berries that are stored on the bush for a long time. The flower solyanum belongs to the Solanaceae family, therefore it is often called simply nightshade. The homeland of the plant is the tropics of Brazil and the islands of Madeira. It is an elastic bush of juicy greens and in a pot forms a dense green shoot covered with orange balls of fruits.
Plant description
Solanum solanum is an evergreen perennial in the form of a sprawling bush or miniature tree. The rhizome is highly branched. But it is located mainly on the surface. Plant height ranges from 45-120 cm. Erect, highly branched stems form a very thick, impenetrable crown. Branches quickly lignified and covered with dark green with brown shades of bark.
Oval leaves are located on the shoots again. They have a glossy surface and a wavy side edge. A pattern of veins is clearly visible on a dark green leaf. The sheet length does not exceed 5-10 cm, and the width is 2-5 cm.
Flowering occurs in the summer. At the ends of the apical and lateral shoots, loose paniculate or umbrella inflorescences bloom. The buds in the form of small bells of white, lavender or pink flowers exude a light, pleasant aroma. Each bud has its own elongated peduncle. The diameter of the flower is 1-3 cm.
Later, round berries ripen in place of the flowers. There are many small whitish seeds in the juicy pulp. The skin of the fetus is quite elastic. It can be red, black, orange or yellow. Berries remain on the bush for a long time and increase its decorativeness. They can reach 5 cm in diameter, although more often they differ in more modest sizes. Flower solanyum is very dangerous. In no case should you eat fruits. They are very poisonous and can cause severe food poisoning.
Types of Solyanum
The genus of Solyanum is very numerous, more than 1000 species are registered in it. The most decorative varieties are grown as indoor plants.
Solyanum pseudocapsicum or false transverse. The plant in the form of a tall (up to 120 cm), sprawling bush preserves the crown all year round. The bare bright green stems are highly branched. Long (up to 10 cm), lanceolate leaves with a wavy edge are attached to the stem on a short petiole. Single flowers on a thin peduncle bloom from the axils of the leaves. The diameter of the white stars is 1 cm. By mid-summer, the bush is decorated with round orange berries with a diameter of 1.5 cm.
Solanum capsicum or pepper. The view is more compact in size. Young shoots are covered with short pubescence, and older shoots are covered with dark brown rough bark. The length of dark green leaves does not exceed 8 cm. There is a variety solanum capsicum variegatum with white stripes on the foliage.
Wendland Solianum. The plant is a long (up to 5 m), creeping vines. On the petioles and stems there are small hooks that help the plant climb the support. The length of the leaves can reach 22 cm. On a single plant, there are both a single lanceolate and pinnately dissected foliage. Panicle inflorescence consists of white star-shaped flowers with a diameter of about 5 cm. Later, round orange berries ripen on the stems, their size is 1.5-5 cm.
Solyanum nigrum (black) - An annual shrub up to 1.2 m high. Oval or ovoid leaves have a pointed edge and wavy, rarely dentate sides. White-green small flowers gather in umbrella inflorescences. Later on, clusters of black berries with a diameter of 8 mm are formed on the branches. Solyanyum nigrum is used in homeopathy.
Dulcamara solyanum (bittersweet) represents a perennial creeping shrub up to 4 m high. Long pubescent stems are gradually lignified and exposed. Oval leaves are located on most of the stems. They are painted bright green and have a shiny surface. The tips of the leaves are pointed, and the edges are covered with rounded teeth. Drooping buds are collected in a small-flowered umbrella. Petals are painted in light purple or blue. Red oval or round berries in diameter reach 3 cm.
Solianum muricatum (melon pear) - evergreen semi-lignified shrub up to 1.5 m high. The plant is covered with oval, slightly pubescent leaves of a light green hue. During the flowering period, it is covered with small white-purple flowers. Pear-shaped fruits are colored yellow with purple stains. The length of one fruit reaches 20 cm, and weight - 400 g.
Breeding
Solyanum propagated by sowing seeds or rooting cuttings. The procedure can be carried out at any time of the year, but March crops will develop most rapidly. For planting prepare a box with sand and peat soil. Seeds are evenly distributed in the wells at a depth of 1-1.5 cm. The container is kept at a temperature of + 15 ... + 18 ° C. Solyanum sprouts within 10-14 days. When 3-4 real leaflets are formed on the seedlings, they are dived into separate pots. To form a sprawling bush, the stems must be nipped periodically.
For rooting cuttings, apical, semi-lignified shoots with 4-5 leaves 8-12 cm long are cut. They can be rooted in water or in moist soil. Seedlings are covered with a cap to prevent loss of moisture. The process takes 2-3 weeks. At the age of 1 month they can be transplanted into separate pots.
Transfer
Solyanum is transplanted annually in early spring, combining this procedure with pruning. Before transplanting, the soil is slightly dried. An earthen lump is removed from the pot and most of the old soil is removed. For planting, use a soil mixture of:
- peat;
- sheet land;
- turf;
- river sand.
Earth should be slightly acidic and light. A drainage layer must be laid on the bottom of the pot.
Growing Features
Caring for a solanyum at home does not require much effort. The plant is very fond of bright light and needs a long daylight. Shade from direct sunlight shoots need only in extreme heat. In the summer, you can put a bush on the balcony or in the garden. It is important to choose a warm, calm place.
The optimum temperature regime for nightshade is + 18 ... + 20 ° C. In a hotter place, the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry. The plant does not need a resting period.
Watering a hodgepodge is necessary often. The soil should be slightly moist, but water stagnation is unacceptable. Also, for normal development, shoots need to be often sprayed with water. In addition to normal growth, this helps protect leaflets from parasites.
From April to August, a complex fertilizer for flowering plants is applied weekly to the soil.
To give a beautiful appearance, it is necessary to periodically trim the bush. Stems that are too long are cut in half. When the lateral branches begin to develop on the remaining part, they are pinched.
Solyanum is resistant to plant diseases, but is attacked by insects. Most often on leaflets you can find aphids, whiteflies or spider mites. It is recommended to do preventive treatment with insecticides before flowering.
