Henbane, Black henbane, Hog's bean, Stinking nightshade
Hyoscyamus niger

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 40-90 cm high and spreads 40-90 cm wide. It can be erect or lying along the ground. The leaves are softly downy and have a bad smell. They are alternate and oval or sword shaped. They have irregular cuts and are 20 cm long. The flowers are yellow and have dark purple veins. The flower groups are leafy. The flowers are funnel shaped and 30 mm wide. The fruit is a black capsule. It is 12 mm across.

There are 15 Hyoscyamus species. It is used in medicine. It has narcotic substances in its tissues.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in waste places. It suits hardiness zone 3-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Andorra, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Britain, Canada, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Europe, France, Himalayas, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Pakistan, SE Asia, Siberia, Slovenia, Tajikistan

How it is used for food

CAUTION: It should only be used in small amounts. It is poisonous in large quantities. It contains alkaloids such as atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine. The starch of the root is a famine food used for extending bread flour, after removing the bitter element.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, caution, seeds, root - starch, medicine

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

črni zobnik, Jusquaime, Samon-nan-tha

Synonyms

Hyoscarpus niger (L.) Dulac; Hyoscyamus agrestis Kit.; Hyoscyamus auriculatus Ten.; Hyoscyamus bohemicus F.W.Schmidt; Hyoscyamus lethalis Salisb.; Hyoscyamus niger var. annuus Sims; Hyoscyamus niger var. chinensis Makino; Hyoscyamus officinarum Crantz; Hyoscyamus pallidus Waldst. & Kit. ex Willdenow; Hyoscyamus persicus Boiss. & Buhse; Hyoscyamus pictus Roth; Hyoscyamus syspirensis K.Koch; Hyoscyamus verviensis Lej.; Hyoscyamus vulgaris Neck.;