Decorative nightshade has many names in various countries. The birthplace of this plant are considered South America and the island of Madeira. Decorative nightshade is a shrub and has a year-round growing season. In cultivation, this plant is unpretentious and therefore easily amenable even to inexperienced people in this matter. The plant loves bright light and high humidity.
Ornamental nightshade is a lush shrub that has beautiful berries that change color from green to orange or red and they really look like cherry fruits. Despite its beauty and attractiveness, decorative nightshade has quite poisonous fruits, so families, some have small children, should refrain from growing this plant for a while. But the nightshade is poisonous only in the case of eating berries, otherwise it is a completely harmless plant.
Decorative nightshade is considered an annual, but if it is periodically transplanted, circumcised, it will delight you for more than one year. Due to the fact that it is a tropical plant, it requires some care. It is necessary to create a moderate temperature, to prevent a large decrease in it, especially in winter, as well as to artificially increase the humidity in the room and to periodically spray the leaves with water.
False pepper nightshade, Latin name S. pseudocapsicum L.
This plant is a shrub up to 120 centimeters high and has leaves reaching a length of 10 cm.The evergreen upright shrub up to 120 cm has fruits that can reach a diameter of 1.5 cm and are also poisonous, the island is made up of Madeira Island.
Pepper nightshade, Latin name S. capsicastrum.
This species is very similar to the previous one, but it has smaller sizes and smaller fruits. His homeland is Southern Brazil and Uruguay. The people have taken root the name "Sore throat", due to the fact that the infusion of fruits helps in the treatment of tonsillitis.
Houseplant nightshade - care.
In the apartment, nightshade must be placed on the sunny side. The plant loves fresh air and therefore in summer it can be taken outside. In winter, the temperature in the room should be between 12-25 degrees, the nightshade does not tolerate a lower temperature, and at higher temperatures, frequent irrigation is necessary. In order for the plant to grow for several years, after the fruit falls, it is necessary to prune it.
Since the plant is southern, it requires increased watering in the warm season, a lack of moisture will lead to falling flowers.
Due to the fact that the nightshade is active in color and there is a massive formation of fruits, it spends a lot of effort. To restore them, it is necessary to carry out weekly feeding. In winter, the plant is fed once a month.
If you want your plant to be beautiful and compact, it is necessary to form a crown after reaching 30 cm. It consists in shortening the main stem, and pinch the ends to the branches of the second and third order.
To continue the life of this plant, it is necessary to carry out its annual transplantation. To do this, they cut the branches almost half in winter, stop watering before the beginning of spring and move to new land.
If you decide to propagate nightshade, then this can be done both by seeds, and by cuttings or processes. Planting nightshade is allowed constantly, but it is better to do it in the spring. For full development, it is necessary to make good drainage, since stagnation of water leads to the death of the plant.
Nightshade is a very elegant plant, its flowering begins in the spring, after which active fruiting lasts until the beginning of winter.
Decorative nightshade does not like loneliness, and if you surround it with your attention and care, you will get unique beauty and joy on your windowsill.