Copy permalink to share

Solanum carolinense Linnaeus var. carolinense . Common name: Carolina Horse-nettle, Ball-nettle. Phenology: Apr-Oct. Habitat: Fields, gardens, disturbed areas. Distribution: ME and MN, south to s. FL and TX; naturalized well beyond this area, and the original native distribution unclear.

ID notes: A very common, weedy native Solanum that is widespread across nearly all of our region, S. carolinense var. carolinense is a perennial herb or suffrutescent, to 1.2 m tall, with cream to yellow straight prickles to 6 mm long. The fruits are initially green (often mottled light / dark green), ripening to a medium orangy yellow, 1-2 cm in diameter.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy : = Fl6, FNA14, K1, K3, K4, NE, NY, Va, WH3, Wahlert, Chiarini, & Bohs (2015); = Solanum carolinense L. – S; < Solanum carolinense L. – Ar, C, F, G, GrPl, Il, Mi, NcTx, Pa, RAB, Tat, Tx, W, WV

Links to other floras: = Solanum carolinense var. carolinense - FNA14

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (name change)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (name change)
  • Great Plains: UPL (name change)
  • Midwest: FACU (name change)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (name change)

Heliophily : 8

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something wrong or missing on about Solanum carolinense var. carolinense? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.


Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: A prickly, rhizomatous perennial with small yellow fruits resembling tomatoes, found in fields, gardens, and other disturbed areas throughout much of the U.S.

Stems: Stems simple or weakly branched, greenish-purple and hairy, with scattered white to yellowish spines.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, triangular to oval with irregular, angled lobes that often seem more like teeth; undersides with spines along the mid-vein.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers on hairy pedicels, in a small terminal cluster; white to light violet, about ¾ in. wide, star-shaped, with 5 petals that are united at the base and five prominently protruding elongated yellow anthers.

Fruits: Fruit a round, dull-yellow berry, about ½ in. long; it is toxic.

Comments: Solanum carolinense var. floridanum . . .??

Height: 1-3 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: A prickly, rhizomatous perennial with small yellow fruits resembling tomatoes, found in fields, gardens, and other disturbed areas throughout much of the U.S.

stems: Stems simple or weakly branched, greenish-purple and hairy, with scattered white to yellowish spines.

leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, triangular to oval with irregular, angled lobes that often seem more like teeth; undersides with spines along the mid-vein.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers on hairy pedicels, in a small terminal cluster; white to light violet, about ¾ in. wide, star-shaped, with 5 petals that are united at the base and five prominently protruding elongated yellow anthers.

fruits: Fruit a round, dull-yellow berry, about ½ in. long; it is toxic.

comments: Solanum carolinense var. floridanum . . .??

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: