African black nightshade
Solanum tarderemotum
Family: Solanaceae
What it is like
A herb. It can grow for one or a few years. It grows 1.5 m tall. The branches spread widely. The leaves are simple and usually arranged in spirals. They are wedge shaped at the base and this extends along the leaf stalk. The leaves are 10 cm long by 6 cm wide. There are 7-12 flowers in a group. The flowers have both sexes. The fruit are round berries 4-6 mm across. Fruit can be pale green or purple. They have many seeds. The seeds are 1.5 mm long.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in a wide range of habitats from sea level to 3,000 m above sea levels.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
How it is used for food
The leaves and young shoots are cooked and eaten. The leaves are sometimes cooked in milk and left overnight to reduce bitterness. Children eat the ripe fruit of green fruited types raw.
The leaves are sold in markets. The plant is cultivated in home gardens.
Edible parts
Leaves, fruit, vegetable
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds. The seeds are very small so are mixed with sand before sowing. Seeds are often sown in nurseries and transplanted. They are transplanted when 10-15 cm high. A spacing of 20 cm is suitable.
Young shoots are harvested 5-6 weeks after sowing. They can then be harvested each 1-2 weeks for the next 8-12 weeks.
Its other names
Local names
Mnavu