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Name That Plant!

new house, new part of the US (Albany, NY), new plants!

Caro Williams-Pierce

7 years ago

I have many unknown plants in my yard, but I'll start with these two.

This first is a small plant in my front yard - there's only one of them, and naturally I haven't tried eating the berries, but I'm curious as to what they are (and, frankly, hoping they're edible and delicious!).

This second one is a vine-y plant, and I'm trying to train it over the railing by the front steps. But maybe it should be ripped up and killed because it'll take over the whole yard if I don't stop it? I love vines, so I'm hoping it's kind and friendly...

Thanks for any help you have! (And let me know if I'm missing some important piece of information that I should have included here!)

Featured Answer

eaga

7 years ago

The first is nightshade, Solanum species.. Maybe S. nigrum.

I think the second one is Celastrus orbiculatus, oriental bittersweet..

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Comments (9)

lisanti07028
7 years ago
DO NOT EAT NIGHTSHADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
7 years ago
I consider nightshade a weed for sure.
PRO
The Logician LLC
7 years ago
Most ripe (black) nightshade berries are bitter, you are not missing anything.
Caro Williams-Pierce
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks, Eaga - much appreciated!

Lisanti, I promise I will not eat the nightshade! Glad to know I'm not missing anything, too, Logician =D

Carol, maybe I'll pull it if it emerges next summer - the garden is a mess, and so any weed that looks interesting enough isn't getting pulled yet...
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
7 years ago
The Solanum is an annual so it will not reappear next year. At least that particular individual won't. But each berry contains several seeds and you will end up with many more of them. Not pulling it is just building up more work on the 'mess'.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
my local library just hosted a edible food guru.. and a local mushroom hunter ...

if you have interest in either..... i suggest you find local sources.. and watch them eat stuff first ... rather than relying on stranger on the WWW .... [you did well, asking first ... this is for other readers as well]

the nightshade family is rather toxic in all its aspects ...

ken
Caro Williams-Pierce
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks, floral_uk! Although I'm tempted, just because it's one of the few pretty things in the front edging... And it seems like it won't go crazy and take over the neighborhood - like the oriental bittersweet will...

And that's a great idea, ken_adrian - I've been planning a bookstore run to look for books, but library first is a good idea.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
7 years ago
You really do want to pull up both of them as they will spread.

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