Cockroach berry, Red popolo
Solanum capsicoides

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 1 m tall. It has soft hairs and also prickles. The leaf stalk is 8 cm long. The leaf blades are broadly oval and 15 cm long. They have coarse teeth or lobes. There are 2-5 flowers in a group. The flower calyx is deeply 5 lobed. The fruit are round and 2-4 cm across.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It has become widespread as a self sown plant in the tropics. In Asia it grows up to 1,500 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 700 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil (country/location of origin), Burundi, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ethiopia, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mexico, Pacific, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, North America (country/location of origin), SE Asia, South America (country/location of origin), Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Caution: The fruit are probably poisonous unless cooked.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, caution

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Akaaka, Akaka, Joa-vermelho, Jua-ti, Kikania lei

Synonyms

Solanum ciliatum Lamk.; Solanum ciliare Willd.; Solanum aculeatissimum auct. non Jacq.; Solanum khasianum C. B. Clarke;