Common Name: Climbing Nightshade or Bittersweet Nightshade
Specific Name: Solanum dulcamara
Known Occurrence at Taylor Point:
Map areas:
Category: Invasive, Non-Native, Vine
Ecological Considerations:
Solanum dulcamara is a semi-woody perennial vine or scrambling shrub with slender stems that can reach up to 6.6 feet. The plant’s leaves are dark-green to purplish, petiolate, alternate, 3 lobed (upper part of the stem), acuminate and up to 3.1 inch long. It’s flowering occurs in May to November, when purple flowers develop. Petals are recurved and up to 0.4 inch long. Stamens are bright yellow and fused together around the stigma. Mature fruits are red, shiny, round or egg-shaped, 0.4 inch long berries with about 30 yellow colored, flattened seeds.
All parts of the Climbing Nightshade are toxic so it is important to wear gloves and protective clothing when handling this plant.
Problems Posed by this Plant:
The Climbing Nightshade berry is poisonous to humans and livestock. The vines of these scrambling plants can pull down smaller native vegetation.
Native Species Affected by this Plant:
Factors Affording a Competitive Advantage to this Plant:
Climbing Nightshade can succeed in fairly dry soil; it grows best in moist situations and can tolerate a fair amount of shade.
Propagation Mechanisms and Related Issues Affecting Efforts to Remove and/or Eliminate this Plant from Taylor Point:
Climbing Nightshade is spread by means of either seed or vegetative reproduction. The fruits of this plant are edible by birds, which disperse the seeds widely. Vegetative reproduction occurs when the nodes of prostrate stems tip-layer. The main root grows horizontally just below the surface and suckers frequently.
Documented Best Removal Practices and Options/Pros and Cons of Various Options:
Small infestations of Climbing Nightshade can be hand‐pulled or dug up. Wear gloves when handling Climbing Nightshade.
For young plants and new infestations, hand-pull the stem closest to the ground and pull or dig up the roots, taking care not to break the slender roots. This process works best after a rain or in loose soils. Hand-pulling efforts may be enhanced further with the use of shovels, spades, claw mattocks, or hand-cultivators to lose the soil.
Isolated plants should be removed in order to prevent them from infesting a larger area. Dig up plants, removing as much root as possible preferably when the soil is moist.
If complete removal of the root is not feasible, repeated cutting to starve the roots has been shown to be effective. Cut back and cover the roots with weed barrier cloth. Recheck the area frequently because even small root or stem fragments left behind can re-sprout. (Suzanne Enser, TPRA CRMC Permit Request Support Paper)
For large infestations of Climbing Nightshade cut down the plant with loppers, brush mowers or machetes. Following cutting, either dig up the roots if labor is available and cover the area with a heavy duty woven mulching fabric for at least two years.
Case Studies of Removal Efforts, Lessons Learned and Recommendations:
Additional Photos
Sources cited:
Invasives.org
Invasive Plant Atlas of New England
Wiki Bittersweet Nightshade
King County
Suzanne Enser, TPRA CRMC Permit Request Support Paper
Key Words:
Bittersweet Nightshade
Climbing Nightshade
Solanum dulcamara
Vine